


pretty (cat)boys are hard to please

by rtmr



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: (some exo members mostly mentioned), Cat/Human Hybrids, ChanSoo - Freeform, Light Angst, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Self Indulgent Smut in later chapters, Slow Burn, Sort Of, should i tag that as a pairing tho idk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-17 11:14:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 56,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13075698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rtmr/pseuds/rtmr
Summary: Jongin's acting like a young adult with a big, fat crush on his friend's pretty cat hybrid with the heterochromatic eyes he'll never admit he looks forward to dreaming about at night.(Another one of those catboy fics lmao)





	1. When will anything happen?

 

Jongin could finally admit one thing when it came to Sehun.

 

He was jealous.

 

Not in the sense that there was something Sehun was better at, or anything petty like that.

 

It was pettier.

 

Sehun is prone to cuddling, especially seeing as he's a demanding cat hybrid that Kyungsoo brought with him when they moved in together as roommates. Jongin had been excited when he heard Kyungsoo was bringing along the boy; he's only seen hybrids from a distance and he was curious.

 

His hopes of finding a friend in the cat was dashed as the catboy kept his distance, tight-lipped and suspicious. Sehun clung solely onto Kyungsoo as he introduced the tall cat in his place. Greeting Sehun was met with a glare and flattened ears at Jongin's outstretched hand.

 

At least Jongin could let that go whenever he saw Sehun curled up with the shorter man from then on. He stopped feeling disappointed about it because, well, obviously Sehun was Kyungsoo's and the human was already always willing to give his cat attention. Kyungsoo has homed the boy for the past five years and Sehun would be seeking his comfort in a new place.

 

If that was it, it wouldn't be much of a problem for Jongin; _Sehun takes time getting used to strangers, he's real shy_ , Kyungsoo had assured him.

 

But when it took Kyungsoo's classmate, Baekhyun (leeching off classwork at their place), a single meeting for the catboy to curl up under his chin despite being taller, Jongin couldn't help feeling misplaced bitterness. Kyungsoo had asked if anything was wrong, boring owlish eyes at Jongin, and how could he confess that he felt jealous that Sehun still hadn't warmed up to him? It had been a month and the hybrid still hissed at him, glaring him away whenever he tried to touch his raven locks.

 

_They're not like your dogs, Jongin, you have to give Hunnie his space_ , Kyungsoo would say after Jongin whines vaguely (not really) to him.

 

After a while, Jongin figures Sehun has a pattern of people he likes; short and cute. Baekhyun wasn't the only exception to who Sehun draped himself over. A teacher's assistant had come over to the apartment briefly to advise Kyungsoo on some requirements when Sehun had become interested in the petite, soft looking man. Before the meeting was over, Sehun had his face tucked into Junmyeon's neck, the older man absently petting the cat.

 

Then, it was another grad student who he had no idea when Kyungsoo befriended because, hey, Jongin thought himself a good enough friend to know most things. Minseok was just short enough for Sehun to curl up to, much to the elder's amusement. Jongin watched on longingly, wishing he could run his fingers through soft looking hair like how Minseok had been for the couple of hours he was there.

 

It continued on like that as their friend group became bigger. Yixing was naturally receptive to Sehun's cuddle attack, he even had him purring because the ditsy man always did something wonderful to his cat ears. Jongdae was almost abusive with how he manhandled Sehun, but the cat hybrid didn't mind the playful man, swatting his hands away and settling onto him with his head on his lap. Baekhyun would come over frequently to smother the cat in tight hugs before dragging himself away to the abyss of college work.

 

They all had something in common, which was their stature. Maybe Sehun was apprehensive towards taller people, despite being just a bit taller than Jongin. Or maybe they were his ideal cuddle partner, loving to curl up into a ball or laying his thin, yet long body on them fully. These thoughts made Jongin deflate, but at least that was a less hurtful answer than the cat outright hating him.

 

However, Jongin's mouth gaped open as Sehun pressed his forehead against a man taller than both of them. Kyungsoo had brought him over to hang out, a flush on his face as he smiled at the scene of having his cat interact with the giant. Jongin didn't notice Kyungsoo's fumbling as he went off to finish up the dinner he had been preparing for their guest.

 

There was a swirl of, _something_ churning in Jongin's chest, and it felt tight.

 

It's as if his breath was knocked out, his theory thoroughly torn to pieces as Chanyeol, ridiculously tall and more like a pup than anything, brought his large hand to rest atop the cat's ears.

 

It wasn't that Jongin wasn't Sehun's ideal type-- Sehun just didn't like _him_.

 

Chanyeol looked at Jongin with a wild grin and stars in his eyes as Sehun leaned even more heavily against him. “Kyungsoo said that Sehunnie had a hard time with strangers, so I didn't know if he would like me...” Chanyeol marveled as he looked down at the hybrid in his hold. Jongin bit his bottom lip and hummed his response. “Tell Kyungsoo I have to catch up with my essays, so I'm skipping out on dinner,” Jongin tried to say evenly, but the bitter taste on his tongue left his mouth dry.

 

“Huh? Oh, okay?” Chanyeol sounded unsure, watching Jongin slump his way into his room. Jongin was unaware of Sehun's watchful eyes, ears twitching towards the closing door of the retreating man.

 

 

_

 

 

Jongin has been staring at his laptop for almost a half hour now, feeling his eyes start to cross and blur the few words on his battered laptop screen. He had tried ignoring the faint laughter coming from outside his door, the incomprehensible conversations and murmurs, and the slight ache in his neck. His low spirits make it difficult. Jongin pushes his laptop away, letting his chest cool down from where the device had sat since he laid down with it.

 

It's not really late, the sun only having set not too long ago, and it being nearly winter, it sets much too early. Jongin's essays aren't really due for a few more days, but doing that was easier than trying to decipher why a certain blue and green eyed hybrid seemed to avoid him like he was the plague incarnate.

 

Jongin's never been so disliked before.

 

It was like no matter how he tries appealing to Sehun, it was like losing himself in the dead ends of a maze. He tried offering Sehun food just to have the cat turn up his nose at him (Kyungsoo's food has him spoiled, to be fair). He's tried conversation, but Sehun remained as non-talkative as ever, even sneering at him to the human's dismay. Jongin has even invited Sehun to play with his beloved games, promising him free reign of his cartridges. He had been hopeful, as Sehun flicked his tail in interest and had looked at Jongin with a neutral expression. But Sehun just went back to sleeping on the couch, leaving Jongin to turn off the console he had already set up with a heavy sigh.

 

Jongin tries being rational; not everyone's going to like him, he can't force the cat to consider him a friend, and he can't let himself fall over hand and foot for someone that won't pay him any attention. He should know when he's been defeated and when to give up.

 

His heart screams at him over said rationality. He wants to be liked by Sehun even though he's Kyungsoo's. He wants the cat to be comfortable with him and trust him. He wants-

 

_What does he want?_

 

With his mind in turmoil, he doesn't notice the soft click of his door, doesn't notice the figure walking into his room until there's a loud thump. He jumps and (totally doesn't suffer a mini heart attack) looks at the source of the noise.

 

There, in the middle of his room, is Sehun, sitting on the floor looking through his games. His back is toward Jongin, fluffy tail curling around himself.

 

It takes a moment for Jongin's mouth to start working again. “S-Sehun? What--” The cat looks back at him sharply. He doesn't look menacing, but it still causes Jongin's breath to hitch. They stare each other down, the cat holding the games in his hands and sitting stock still.

 

Jongin's eyes scan the cat, the sharp jawline, the long nose, pretty, unblemished skin and those eyes that Jongin thinks about every now and again framed by silky, jet black hair. They don't say anything, until Sehun's ears twitch and his tail waves subtly. It brings Jongin out of his stupor and the filter from his brain to his mouth malfunctions.

 

“..'so pretty, Sehun...” Jongin whispers, but Sehun's eyes widen at the compliment tumbling out of his big mouth. He definitely heard him and Jongin painfully slaps his hand over his mouth. The cat turns back to the games quickly, ears flat and tail thrashing frantically. Jongin feels waves of warmth on his cheeks hit him so hard he gets a bit dizzy from the rush.

 

“I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I mean, I did mean it but, I didn't mean to make you uncomfor-”

 

“Jongin,” the cat cuts him off and Jongin is effectively shut up. This is the first time Sehun has said his name. He commits it to memory because, god does it sound good.

 

The cat looks over his shoulder, eyes barely visible from the way he curls up on himself. It's almost as if he's being shy, but he's never been shy around Jongin before. “Kyungsoo isn't paying attention to me, so I'm just going to stay in here for a while. Playing your games. Go back to your essay.” And with that, the cat sets up the console with some difficulty and begins playing. Sehun's kinda bad at it, mashing the buttons on the controller dangerously, but Jongin has never felt so elated. His heart feels full and his head light and airy.

 

Sehun said his name. He talked to him. He's in his room and he's making himself comfortable in his space.

 

Jongin can't concentrate on his essay even if he wanted to, smiling a big, goofy smile that makes his eyes crinkle up to the point of being unable to clearly see his laptop. He's too busy thinking about how nice Sehun's voice sounded to notice the cat giving him a few glances. They continue on with the background noises of end game sound effects, quiet still. They both pretend Jongin's not acting like a teenager with a big, fat crush.

 

Because Jongin's acting like a young adult with a big, fat crush on his friend's pretty cat hybrid with the heterochromatic eyes he'll never admit he looks forward to dreaming about at night.

 

 

 


	2. It's a whole love sick thing, it's tedious really

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Is there something wrong with me? Do you not like me?” Jongin finally asks; he wants to know why Sehun is usually cold to him, or at least get any sort of explanation to his burning questions that may shed some light. If he did something wrong, he's desperately willing to mend it. Being with Sehun and taking in his dorky (cute) gestures and reactions only intensified his crush.

 

Jongin has been staring at Sehun's back shamelessly for however long the hybrid has been sitting on his floor for. The cat wiggles his body about as if that will help him actually pass the level. It captivates him, how the cat's body arches towards the screen, his butt pushing outwards and Jongin's ears pink at the sight. There wouldn't usually be much to look at, but Sehun's tail is waving erratically in the air, putting his surprisingly round butt on display.

 

It's a bit too much, Jongin's crush having been (for the most part) innocent until he realized moments into their little impromptu hangout that this is the most intimate and alone they've been. Sure, Kyungsoo probably wouldn't(?) murder him for having a bit of crush on his cat, but imagining what would happen if he so much as made an advance on Sehun makes him shudder in horror. He's seen Kyungsoo stare down people twice his size.

 

Jongin checks out Sehun's ass and tries to etch the image into the back of his eyelids while he can.

 

A loud hiss leaves Sehun, feeling bitter defeat for the nth time and Jongin wants to laugh so badly his gut's starting to hurt from trying to hold it in. He isn't on the best of terms with Sehun yet and he'd like to not end up at square one again.

 

Sehun's tail begins to bristle and his ears flatten. It's a dangerous sight that makes Jongin's anxiety rise. Sehun's knuckles get whiter from how hard he's gripping the controller and Jongin dives in, ready to save his material possessions.

 

“Why don't you just save it for now and play another game? It looks like you'll melt a hole into the screen.” Jongin tries to joke, but Sehun fixes him with the glare he had reserved for the little pixels onto him instead. Jongin decides not to back down, simply putting his hands up in an amicable gesture. “I mean, even I have trouble with this game and I've practically played it my entire life. Let's try something else!” Jongin moves towards the game bin, sorting through his cartridges.

 

Sehun looks at him curiously, his ears twitching a bit forward. His shoulders begin to relax and his tail deflates. The agitation is replaced with some interest in what Jongin's doing instead and he wants to cheer from successfully defusing the situation. Kyungsoo would be proud. “Why don't we play this together and I'll show you how to do the single player later, too.” Jongin held up a game, a little battered and the label mostly peeled off, but it was in one piece. He tried giving Sehun his best puppy eyes.

 

The hybrid seems to contemplate the game in his hand, looking back at the end screen and then to Jongin. With resignation, his shoulders slump before nodding, putting down the controller and moving to give Jongin some space. It's difficult to conceal the teenage girl that wants to squeal with happiness within his heart, but Jongin plays it off by plugging in a second controller and changing out the games. His face feels like it'll break from grinning ear to ear.

 

They start a game with a new save and Jongin shows Sehun the commands for certain moves and they make easy progression. Sehun reduces his responses to nods and shrugs and Jongin's a little disappointed, but sitting with the hybrid, practically shoulder to shoulder, was more than enough for him. He whispered thank you's in the back of his mind to whichever god made this moment possible.

 

 

__

 

 

_“Sehunnie, Jongin is trying his best and you're still treating him like a stranger.”_

 

_Sehun shrugged at Kyungsoo, poking his food with the tip of his finger with disinterest while occasionally licking the sauce off of it. Kyungsoo managed to see Jongin slump away from Chanyeol and the hybrid, and having experienced Sehun's stubbornness towards his roommate, he could easily assume why he avoided dinner. Chanyeol watched the other two silently, trying to piece together the overarching issue while shoving spoonfuls of delicious food into his mouth._

 

_“You should give him a chance. I'm not forcing you to be friends, but it's getting a bit ridiculous.” Kyungsoo looked pointedly at Sehun, causing the cat to avoid the guilt his human was pressing onto him by averting his eyes. Sehun really looked like he was about to throw a fit by the way he was pouting, but Kyungsoo trained his gaze evenly at the cat. Sehun finally looked up at Kyungsoo, giving him a pitiful, pleading look as if he were trying to get out of a chore. “None of that, Hun, you know what you're doing is mean. Jongin means well and you're being a child. At least try once. For me.”_

 

_And, damn, Kyungsoo could probably beat Jongin at the whole sad puppy look with his large, round eyes. Even if Sehun wouldn't relent for Jongin (with immense difficulty), he was doomed the moment the small man asked him for this one favor with a soft, almost motherly tone of voice and eyes that shined intensely  (Chanyeol short circuited, his spoonful halted midair and threatening to spill back into the plate)._

 

_“I won't try very hard.” Sehun stood up with what is surprisingly minimal stomping and lips set in a thin line. Kyungsoo beamed at him, pleased, and Sehun blushed a bit from his human's earnest relief. He walked away from the table before Kyungsoo could start cooing at him in front of a stranger._

 

 

____

 

 

Sehun watches the screen, reinvigorated when they had made it past a good chunk of the game; it isn't very story driven, but it's clear that having a partner is leagues better than trying to go at it alone. Jongin watches him through his peripheral vision. Sehun would bounce on his calves, fidget in excitement, and try to discreetly pump his fist in the air. Jongin catches it all anyway, and it makes him actually look forward to the rest of the game to gauge the hybrid's reaction.

 

He stopped playing recently because playing on his own feels like a tedious task. However, watching Sehun thoroughly enjoy one of his games for the first time is like watching himself play the game when he first received it as a kid from his dad, staying up late at night and discovering every secret and cheat it had to offer.

 

Jongin pauses the game and Sehun looks at him, lips pouting unintentionally. Jongin wants to run his thumb across them and feel how soft the cat's lips are. This may be a rare moment of just the two of them, and so, he steels himself to ask what has been on his mind for months.

 

“Is there something wrong with me? Do you not like me?” Jongin finally asks and he can't stop the slight tremor in his voice. He wants to know why Sehun is usually cold to him, or at least get any sort of explanation to his burning questions that may shed some light. If he did something wrong, he's desperately willing to mend it. Being with Sehun and taking in his dorky (cute) gestures and reactions only intensified his crush.

 

The hybrid shrinks away from Jongin's inquisitive gaze, human ears pink and freckles on his skin enhanced by the blush across his cheeks. He brings the controller closer to his chest, as if trying to put a barrier in between them. Jongin reaches out, pulling the device away, accidentally brushing his fingers against Sehun's. The cat startles, looking up at Jongin with doe eyes and the human feels like his breathing has stopped from the sight.

 

It's so quiet, Jongin can hear the soft puffs coming from Sehun's parted lips. He wants to lean in, eyes tracing the outline of the hybrid's mouth. He's drawn in as Sehun's tongue darts out to wet his lips.

 

Then, the hybrid's fingers twitch, letting the controller fall noisily onto the floor. It snaps Jongin out of his reverie, sitting back as if he were on fire and landing painfully on his forgotten controller, prompting the game to continue. He had been inching dangerously closer towards the cat without being aware in the slightest. He at least has the decency to blush as he rubs his bruised butt.

 

Sehun looks towards the door of Jongin's room, cat ears swiveling quickly. “Sehun, I'm--” Jongin tries but then Sehun stands up. He watches on as the cat hurries towards the door and opens it. The hybrid moves to hide partially in the hallway with just half of his flushed face looking back at Jongin from the door and he nods towards him, bidding him a quiet 'goodnight'. The door closes with a click as soft as when Sehun first walked in.

 

One second, the hybrid is close enough to touch and then the next the room is filled with an eerie silence, momentarily ringing with an end game screen.

 

“Shit, we didn't even make it to the checkpoint...”

 

 

 __

 

 

Sehun almost causes Kyungsoo to topple over as he bumps his forehead on the back of the shorter man's head. Kyungsoo was finally seeing Chanyeol off and Sehun was ready for bed. Being with Jongin has proven to be terrifying, and it causes a weird sensation to roll over him. He feels relieved at getting away; it was overwhelming, the feel of body heat radiating from the human. It's too much, too soon and Sehun feels a lump in his throat.

 

“You okay, Hun?” Kyungsoo turns around to gauge his cat, noticing the deep red marring Sehun's usually pale skin. He worries easily when it comes to Sehun and he inspects him carefully. He brushes the black bangs out of Sehun's face, pressing his cool hand against his forehead.

 

“I wanna sleep is all,” Sehun mutters and nudges the hand away. Kyungsoo nods and guides them to his room, letting the cat waddle behind him as he rests his head on his narrow shoulders. Kyungsoo stops by Jongin's room, knocking on the door and wishing him goodnight. Sehun's tail twitches, waiting for Jongin's response as well. It doesn't come and Sehun feels a little disappointed. Kyungsoo shrugs and walks to the next room over.

 

Sehun and Kyungsoo get ready to sleep, the cat borrowing his clothes despite how short they look on him. Even though Sehun has his own larger bed in a seperate room, he burrows himself under Kyungsoo's blankets. The human notices Sehun look a bit frazzled, nervous, and let's him be. When he slides into his bed after turning off the lights save for the night stand lamp, Sehun immediately presses his head against his chest, tucked under his chin like a child that's run to his parents' room after a nightmare.

 

Kyungsoo pets Sehun's hair, waiting for the cat to speak what's on his mind. He doesn't prod him, but he knows that Sehun is acting unusual since he came back from Jongin's room. If Jongin did anything, well, Kyungsoo could probably think up an alibi on the spot if needed.

 

“I don't...hate Jongin or anything, you know,” Sehun mumbles into the man's ratty t-shirt. Kyungsoo is a bit thrown off and tries his best to crane his neck in a way that he can see Sehun more clearly. He catches the rise of a blush creeping up from under the collar of his shirt.

 

“...That so,” He says more to himself than the hybrid. Sehun fidgets, fingers tugging at the folds of Kyungsoo's shirt. “He asked me if I didn't like him, and I didn't say anything. I just...I don't know. It'd be weird if I treated him different after everything, but,” Kyungsoo watches the blush deepen, intense despite the low, yellow light, “I don't want him to think I _hate_ him...You know?” The cat continues to muffle his shy words into the fabric, but the human hears him clearly. It starts falling into place.

 

Sehun is acting like a young boy bullying his crush, is what Kyungsoo can assume, although he probably should have noticed in hindsight. Sehun avoided the topic of Jongin, avoided him altogether by putting on a front, until he was forced to interact with him tonight. Kyungsoo felt a protectiveness over Sehun; he was practically his baby and now his cat was developing a crush. He realizes he directly caused it to actually go somewhere without intending it to.

 

The hybrid had been so disinterested in finding mates, even starting a huge fight when Kyungsoo tried introducing other cats with a romantic connection in mind, he had left the matter alone altogether. Now, here was his Sehunnie, actually blushing because of someone Kyungsoo considered a younger brother. He felt that, despite not knowing Jongin longer than a year, the other boy is someone he thought of as a good friend.

 

However, his feelings are conflicting as Sehun is showing interest in Jongin. Kyungsoo holds Sehun closer to himself, reassuring him, stroking his soft cat ears to help him sleep easier. The human was deep in thought about Jongin and Sehun as his cat was finally nodding off, blush ebbing away.

 

He forces himself to reign in his personal feelings; Sehun is his own person, not a child. He doesn't want to demean Sehun's choices, even though all he wants to do is keep him safe. A human would find the idea offensive, and knowing that hybrids have had a history of being treated even lesser than animals for decades, Sehun would defintely never forgive him for it.

 

Kyungsoo vows to keep a watchful eye, and, hopefully for Sehun, there won't be any pieces to pick up afterwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (im embarrassed like 100% of the time so its slow going chapters plz bear w me)
> 
> its a goddamn christmas miracle
> 
> its rushed, im so sleepy lmao, but here!!! ill fix it later!!!
> 
> ill prly come back later w a new fic but ill try my very best to not start another unfinished thing
> 
> although,,
> 
> im always a slut for aus and never finishing what i start


	3. Therapy sessions with strangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What're you doing out here so late at night, Sehun?” Jongin asks softly, curious with the change in Sehun's routine. Sehun looks anywhere but at Jongin, unlike how when he first walked in.

Kyungsoo had come to knock on Jongin's door, a 'goodnight' loud and clear behind it, but he was buried under his blankets when he tried to respond. His voice was muffled easily by the thick covers. Jongin was still thinking about how close he was to Sehun, how he could have probably counted every long eyelash and every small freckle if they had stayed that way a little longer.

 

_If they had..._

 

An image of a pretty, pouty set of lips flashed before Jongin's eyes, making his heart beat harsh against his chest. They were just a few breaths apart when Sehun broke away and it would have been so _easy_ for Jongin to have just leaned in and found out just how velvety the hybrid's mouth felt against his own. He would have known how Sehun tastes, if Sehun's tongue was rough, if Sehun's skin was as smooth as he imagined.

 

A pair of odd eyes only remained as the after image in his mind, splashing cold water on Jongin's fantasies. Those pair of eyes brimmed with apprehension, with _panic_. Sehun had looked at him with such wide eyes, wider than he's ever seen the cat look at him with. The younger didn't meet his eyes when he said goodnight, leaving Jongin to wonder and imagine how things could be.

 

Maybe in a different lifetime. Maybe if he were born luckier. If he were a hybrid, or if Sehun were completely human. Jongin, although having seen hybrids from afar and taught basic decency towards both human and hybrid alike, still wouldn't have known how to handle being so close to someone like himself yet unlike himself. Kyungsoo doesn't treat Sehun differently than if he were to treat a young family member, Baekhyun and the others dote on the hybrid but don't treat him strictly as a cat. But, of course, why would they when Sehun is just as complex as a human person? He's an intelligent being, beautiful and real and it's terrifying that Jongin has already imagined and desired him in new ways in just a few hours of having been in arm's length.

 

Jongin keeps thinking, keeps running through how it would work, if at all. Being so close to Sehun tonight brought up so many questions, causing Jongin to toss and turn, kicking out the heavy covers in frustration. Jongin itches to look this up on his phone. He's only ever heard of human/hybrid relationships in a negative connotation of abuse before in his life, but there had to be relationships where the feelings were mutual, right?

 

Jongin could just google it, learn something new that reassured his feelings, but then again, if he tried to court Sehun, he could end up rejected anyways. Even worse, he could be seen as only having awful, ulterior motives. The last thing he wants is for the pretty hybrid he has to live with to despise him and for his friendships to crumble into fine dust.

 

He sleeps fitfully, but still, he dreams of those what ifs.

 

 

\--

 

 

Jongin doesn't come out of his room the next morning; he lays in bed for as long as possible before he has to change and get to class. Even if he wasn't a morning person, he was usually at least awake enough to lug himself towards the kitchen table to eat whatever Kyungsoo had placed in front of him that day (it could have been one of Baekhyun's questionable lab experiments and Jongin would have still scarfed it down).

 

But this morning, Jongin is avoiding confrontation at all costs. Even when he starts running late, dressing in questionably clean pants, sleep shirt under a cardigan and slinging his book bag haphazardly over his shoulder, Jongin makes sure the coast is clear before he's racing out of the apartment and into the cool late-morning air. He tries not to think about anything except the dreadful trek to his essential morning coffee. He hates the taste but he can't do anything without the surge of caffeine in his body.

 

He still has a few minutes as he rushes towards the college cafeteria when Jongin's being spun around. He brings up his fists to fight despite being a natural born coward, when a long pair of arms are swinging wildly in defense. “Whoa, whoa, it's me, Chanyeol! Please don't punch me!” Chanyeol grasps at his chest exaggeratedly, as if he's suffering a panic attack.

 

“Hey, I should be the one that's suffering a damn near heart attack! What was that all about?” Jongin sputters as he comes close to yelling and Chanyeol looks down sheepishly.

 

“Yesterday, uh, I wanted to say sorry,” Chanyeol rubbed at the back of his head, tousling his hair. He looks guilty and Jongin lowers his hands in a stilted manner. “I think I made things awkward by coming over. You really missed out on Soo's dinner last night and that's just kinda cruel.” Chanyeol tries grinning and it looks like a cross between manic and distress. Jongin didn't even think about Kyungsoo's dinner last night, or at all for that matter.

 

Jongin thinks back at Sehun ignoring him, how he's so unwilling to let him close and he feels his shoulders weigh down again. It makes him painfully aware of the time they spent together, and of the clear boundaries between them.

 

“Oh, I didn't mean to make you even more upset,” Chanyeol raises his arms, unsure whether to console Jongin or give him space. He looks like a cuddly type of person Jongin decides somewhere in the back of his mind.

 

“It's...sort of a mess, but it's not really anyone else's fault,” Jongin wants to say it's his own fault but he leaves it out, a long sigh heaves out of him instead. He feels exhausted from his racing thoughts. Jongin doesn't really have anyone to talk to about this and his closest friend, Kyungsoo, would probably chastise him for going after his hybrid. Sehun is loved and doted on; he's absolutely cherished by him.

 

“Uhm, Soo kinda painted a picture, but it's about Sehunnie, right?” The tall red head remarks accurately and Jongin tenses as if he suddenly feels stripped bare before Chanyeol. Was it obvious? He feels a cold sweat as he tries to stutter a denial, but Chanyeol just ah's at his response.

 

Chanyeol has pity on Jongin, simply giving him a sorry expression before looking at his phone. “I think we can still make it to class. Even though we barely know each other, if you need to, you can come talk to me about it. You look like you're gonna drive yourself crazy over it.” Jongin frowns at how he's read with ease, but doesn't protest. “What classes do you have after this one?”

 

Jongin thinks it over; could he confide his feelings in someone that was practically a stranger? He felt like he would burst with even more burgeoning thoughts any minute though, and so he tells Chanyeol his schedule for the day, shaking with adrenaline at the little session he let himself get talked into. Chanyeol walks him to his class despite having to run to his own afterwards, but Jongin is grateful, nonetheless.

 

 

\--

 

 

Chanyeol greets him just outside the lecture room Jongin is dragging himself out of; it's his last class for the day and he's grateful the afternoon sun is hidden behind thick clouds. The days are getting colder but the sun still blazed when it was high in the sky. Chanyeol nodded once and Jongin returned the gesture. They continue in silence as Jongin leads the way. The taller man walks just the slightest bit behind Jongin despite his longer legs. It's just as well; he needs some time to organize his thoughts as they walk into the library and enter an empty study room.

 

Jongin deliberately puts down his book bag slowly, dragging out his inevitable train wreck of spewing words. Chanyeol just watches him carefully as he falls into the chair facing Jongin, backpack thrown somewhere in a corner of the isolated room. As Jongin sits down, legs forced to bend slowly as if it were a set of springs being compressed, Chanyeol shoots straight for the point.

 

“What's up with you and Sehun? It seems like something happened between you two.” Chanyeol starts for them, because Jongin didn't even know how to breach the subject that was about his own personal problems.

 

Jongin fidgets in place. It really did look like that last night, hadn't it? Jongin running with his tail between his legs as Sehun flat out ignored him.

 

“Soo talked to him at the table last night; seems like Sehun's forcing himself to be as unfriendly as possible.” Chanyeol continues as Jongin tries to come up with a response as to _why_. Hearing it reconfirmed by an outsider makes his heart sink.

 

Jongin picks at the skin around his nails.

 

“To be honest? I don't actually know why Sehun acts like I don't exist. If I knew what I did, I would have fixed it by now, but he doesn't even talk to me.” Jongin starts, exasperation clear in his voice. The man in front of him doesn't say anything, letting Jongin continue to vent.

 

“It's something like a miracle that he even came into my room last night on his own. We even played on my console together and, god, I really wished it would continue, but then there I went, invading his personal space. Maybe I crossed a line? But then that wouldn't explain why he's acted this way since the very beginning because I can't remember forcing myself into his space like that. I realized I like him and I probably missed my chance--”

 

“You _like_ him?”

 

Jongin's cut off and his face floods with warmth at realizing what he let slip, but it's out there and all he can do is bury his head in his hands. He's too tired to take his words back. “Uh, maybe.” Jongin's tentative answer is muffled behind his hands; he does like Sehun, he's thought about him nonstop, but his words are still timid and unsure when spoken out loud. His face suffocates from the heat spreading through his body, a rush from physically admitting shy feelings for someone else.

 

These are feelings for a hybrid, however. He half expects Chanyeol to deride him, tell him he's gross or it's unnatural and Jongin braces himself, muscles tensed and ready to run away if need be.

 

Chanyeol doesn't sneer at him, he doesn't even make any sounds of disapproval. Jongin is unnerved by the silence, and looks between his fingers. He almost shoots out of his chair at Chanyeol's wild grin. It honestly scares him a little, how he could most definitely count every tooth in the man's mouth.

 

“Jongin-ah,” Chanyeol says in a teasing tone and Jongin groans. “Sehunnie, huh? Wonder how Kyungsoo would feel about it. He'd be like, your dad-in-law or something.” Chanyeol barks out in laughter at the thought, smacking his thighs. He starts looking close to tears. If Jongin weren't mortified by Kyungsoo's looming presence, he too would probably slap his knee at the absurdity of it.

 

It's like Jongin's in grade school and talking to his best friend in secret about his crush, except said friend would probably run around yelling Jongin's crush's name. “Please, it's weird enough as it is without you looking like a kid on Christmas morning,” he whines, and Chanyeol apologizes, although he doesn't look the least bit sorry.

 

Chanyeol calms down, still looking delighted with the turn of events.

 

“Jongin, listen,” he speaks softly and it catches Jongin off guard for a second. The mood shifts, but it doesn't feel interrogative. “You look like you over think things a lot.” Jongin definitely won't argue that, he's still exhausted from last night's internal bout.

 

“Maybe it's not so simple. Sure, Sehun seems kinda...huffy...” Chanyeol recalls the previous night, but he also remembers something else. “You know, Kyungsoo was the one that managed to get Sehun to visit you last night.” Jongin visibly slumps in his chair; Sehun hadn't gone on his own? If Kyungsoo made Sehun hang out with him, then the hybrid didn't even want to be their in the first place. At Jongin's distress, Chanyeol amends himself.

 

“Sehun didn't fight Soo on it, if that's what you think.” Jongin's interest is sparked as he looks up from a spot on the floor. “I think Sehun needs to be coaxed a little since he actually is pretty shy. Sure he can cuddle up to people, but he's not talkative either. I think it's all about his surroundings in general.” Chanyeol thinks back to some things Kyungsoo talked to him about when Sehun had gone to Jongin's room. Sehun hasn't gone exploring despite looking out the apartment windows, hasn't gone out to learn about the neighbors, and rarely eats take out from places he doesn't know.

 

 

 

_“He's a hybrid that doesn't take well to changes,” Kyungsoo explained. We even fought for so long before moving into the apartment._

 

_“You fought with him?”  
_

 

_“Yeah, well, I didn't fight him, really, but he wouldn't change his mind. We're to how we were before we moved out, but,” Kyungsoo stabbed his food unnecessarily, “He's become a shut-in, and even worse, he doesn't get along with Jongin at all._

 

_“Kyungsoo-yah, it'll take some time, but I'm sure Sehunnie will warm up. It's an entirely different place, and even the most well-adjusted would have to catch their bearings.” Chanyeol tried optimistically, and earned a small, heart shaped smile in return for his efforts._

 

_“Yeah, I hope you're right.”_

 

 

 

“He's a hybrid, and seems especially sensitive. Suddenly he's moving in with someone he never knew before in a totally different place. Sehun already knows Kyungsoo's habits and Kyungsoo knows how to handle him from years of living together. He sees strangers regularly, but whose to say it's not different than living with a person you haven't figured out yet?”

 

The way Chanyeol puts it, it makes a remarkable amount of sense. The man actually sounded wise, much more reasonable than what initial appearances dictate, and he seemed genuine in helping Jongin understand his situation. He was a stranger and still here he was, attempting to console Jongin despite knowing him less than a day.

 

Jongin feels like he's found something out that he couldn't see before because he's been staring the problem in how it affected him only. Maybe Sehun doesn't know how to handle such a drastic change, especially when he would be forced to learn to live around an entirely new person. He looks so self-assured, but maybe that's just how he puts up a front. Jongin understands this, but also berates himself for having looked at the problem selfishly. He's been wanting to take leaps and bounds with Sehun when he should have been thinking of how to initiate baby steps.

 

Kyungsoo did him a huge favor since he got to hold a small conversation with the cat, leading to a step in the right direction for a fleeting moment. That's what he should have focused on instead of imagining how Sehun would feel under him, against him. He needs to push those thoughts back before he tries again.

 

“Kyungsoo's your friend, right? And he loves Sehunnie, so I'm sure asking him more about it would help you and Sehun's relationship. Or your future relationship,” Chanyeol wiggles his eyebrows and makes kissing sounds, causing a ridiculous shift in atmosphere. It's sudden and it makes Jongin gape dumbly at the taller man; was he actually a fully grown adult instead of really tall child imitating one?

 

Jongin groans out a 'shut up' before he's burying his face against his book bag.

 

The two of them end up talking well into the evening. When their butts are sore from hogging the study room for hours, Chanyeol suggests a place to eat that Jongin also knew well. It really did feel like they have been friends for years as they sat at the diner talking about everything and nothing at all.

 

Jongin finds out Chanyeol's a music major, has part-times at a daycare some days and at a bowling place on others, and has the 'cutest dog in the entire world' (if Jongin argued his dogs' case against Chanyeol's for damn near half an hour, well, at least no harm's done). It isn't until his phone is buzzing with a text from Kyungsoo asking if he should leave dinner out for him or not, did Jongin and Chanyeol exit the diner and part ways, the taller waving back with flailing limbs.

 

Jongin replied to Kyungsoo, to which the other simply said he'd be cooped up in his room if he needed anything when he came back. He makes sure he at least brought his key with him before pocketing his phone and pulling his cardigan closed to avoid the chilly winds.

 

The walk back to the apartment isn't very long, but Jongin dragged his feet; he needed some time to sort out his feelings in regards to what awaits him back at the place he shares with Kyungsoo and Sehun. The place he shares with a difficult(cute) hybrid with the pretty voice that still echoes in his ears.

 

It's much later than Jongin anticipated once he did reach the apartment. He tries walking in quietly, careful not to make any noises. Kyungsoo was a pretty light sleeper and Jongin doesn't like when the shorter man would wake just to make sure Jongin got back alright.

 

However, as Jongin makes his way into the living room properly, a figure rises from the couch, causing him to freeze in horror. Jongin's vision adjusts in the dim apartment and the flicker of a cat ear and wave of a bushy tail greet him. He sighs out his relief as a pair of familiar odd eyes stare back at him and not some shadow monster. Realizing it's Sehun on the couch though causes a weird stir in Jongin's chest. He's unsure of how to proceed. Should he say something? Should he walk past? Sehun's gaze is unrelenting.

 

“...late,” The cat mumbles, hand going up to rub his eyes. In the dim lighting, Jongin sees they're swollen with sleep. Jongin must have startled the cat into waking up. “Sorry,” Jongin apologizes as he stares at the scene, the whole of it seeming off.

 

Then, Jongin's eyebrows furrow in confusion; why is Sehun sleeping on the couch in the first place? By this time at night, Sehun would be either in his own room or Kyungsoo's, buried in blankets. “What're you doing out here so late at night, Sehun?” Jongin asks softly, curious with the change in Sehun's routine. Sehun looks anywhere but at Jongin, unlike how when he first walked in. The hybrid's mouth parts, trying to come up with an answer, when he speaks in a small voice, a voice Jongin has to strain to hear.

 

“You...yesterday, you said,” And Sehun looks like he's making great efforts to speak. “You would teach me the single player. I fell asleep waiting.” The hybrid's cheeks puff up the tiniest bit and he looks up through his lashes, fingers fiddling with the hem of his shirt. It's so endearing and Jongin's heart is pounding a million beats a second. Sehun stayed up so they could play again?

 

_Sehun stayed up for Jongin. He wanted to play together with Jongin._

 

Jongin felt himself flood with emotions he couldn't quite distinguish.

 

“It's really late, Sehun,” and at that, the cat's ears flatten. He looks devastated at this, and Jongin can't help but make a promise.

 

“But,” The hybrid's cat ears swiveled quickly towards Jongin and the human can't stop the small smile from spreading, “We can play tomorrow. I'm really sorry I made you wait, but I'll definitely show you, okay?” Sehun looks a little more lively, ears upright and tail waving pleasantly. He gives Jongin a small nod, and, as he stands up, he wishes Jongin a shy goodnight, disappearing into the dark hallway.

 

Jongin's floating, lighter than air. He didn't damage what little progress he made with Sehun last night. He reminds himself that there's still a lot to be done in the way of understanding the hybrid, but he can't stop his heart from fluttering. Sehun is trying, and Jongin also needs to try his hardest for him. As he finally lays in bed, the giddy feelings lull him into pleasant, sweet dreams about the future.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should stop trying to type up new ch at midnight because then idk if i make sense when i publish it lmao oh well,,  
> thank u guys for liking this so far even though im all over the place with it
> 
> also! if you guys have an au or prompt, can yall send it to me...,
> 
> (I made a whole goddamn edit to the mess I made of this chapter at first lmao |__u )////)
> 
> when will i stop editing this lmao bye


	4. It's a rather slow and shameless day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun goes back to setting up the console and popping in a game as if nothing of note has happened, leaving Jongin to scream at the sight of his spoon internally.
> 
> Jongin's a mess.

 

Jongin wakes up, his body buzzing with excitement. He wonders, briefly, if Sehun really would be coming into his room, allowing Jongin to shamelessly take up his time once again. Jongin usually spent the morning in bed, waiting until his alarm blared at him in anxious anticipation. He couldn't go back to sleep with the thought of Sehun in his head, his body unwilling to sink into his mattress. And so, Jongin gets up, taking his time to shower and get dressed into clean clothes before packing up his stuff so he wouldn't have to fumble to get it last minute.

 

Kyungsoo's already up, working on making his own breakfast while Sehun's already seated at the table with his plate in front of him. Jongin won't deny that he felt his heart skip a beat when Sehun's attention is suddenly on him, hesitation clear, though the reason why, Jongin didn't know. When Jongin finally took his seat in front of the hybrid, Sehun started digging into his plate and he couldn't help but let his thoughts run away from him. Did Sehun purposely wait for him? Jongin's in awe, watching the cat eat carefully, self-conscious even. Sehun catches Jongin staring and his head lowers between his shoulders, a silent plead to not look so closely at the hybrid tearing his food apart between delicate fingers.

 

Jongin doesn't really recall a time when Sehun wasn't already done with his breakfast before he could drag his sleep laden body and plop into a chair to eat. On days when Jongin would miraculously wake early, Sehun would ignore his plate until Jongin was finished. Sehun would be sprawled on the couch or resting near a window, arms folded on the sill and looking dazed. On better days, the cat would ignore him, shake his head, or simply roll his eyes when Jongin tried inviting him back. On days when Sehun was especially grumpy, he'd scowl, flick his tail in irritation, or stomp away altogether, nose up high in the air.

 

This was certainly new, an experience that made Jongin feel giggly at the circumstances as Sehun shies like a young girl on her first date. Or, at least what Jongin imagined it would be like if this really was a date in the privacy of his mind. Still, Sehun picks at his food, bringing it up to his pretty lips and licking his fingers clean. The hybrid could have just as well used utensils, but Jongin wouldn't go out of his way to ask about it as Sehun left his fingers shiny and spit slick with swipes of his tongue.

 

The clatter of a plate hitting the table with more force than needed brings Jongin out of his daze, meeting the eyes of the intruder of his day dreaming. Kyungsoo stares him down, a dare-you kind of glare and Jongin starts shoving food in his mouth to stop from freezing up. The food's just about getting cold, but it's no ones fault but Jongin's (and the syrup sticking to Sehun's fingers).

 

Jongin swallows the thick waffle, trying to speak around it, “I think I'm gonna try to look for a part-time. I was talking with Chanyeol yesterday and he mentioned he's working after classes.” Kyungsoo looks at Jongin in surprise. “You talked with Chanyeol yesterday?” His eyes shined with interest, and Jongin had forgotten that they had been together on his and Sehun's fateful day. He'll leave out the part where Chanyeol imagined Kyungsoo as the father-in-law to end all in-laws. _For now_ , Jongin's intentions rear from the back of his head.

 

Optimistic.

 

“Yeah, don't worry, I won't tell him you nag worse than my mom,” at that, Jongin yelps in pain as Kyungsoo hits his shin bone without any malice as his cheeks color pink. There's a snort, unattractive but it catches Jongin's attention. Kyungsoo also looks towards the sound, eyes narrowed as Sehun tries covering his slip up. Jongin's got stars in his eyes as he watches the cat's shoulders shake with suppressed laughter and, _oh_ , everything endears him about Sehun.

 

Kyungsoo kicks him again, a warning tap this time. Sehun's doubled over at Jongin's miserable whine, but the human would gladly take another hit just to watch the tips of the cat's human ears redden. Kyungsoo complies quickly as if reading his friend's mind, this time with a loud clap on Jongin's shoulder and a berating for not finishing up his plate yet.

 

The attention to his hybrid makes Kyungsoo's protective nature flare despite not wanting to behave like Sehun's conservative father.

 

Although Kyungsoo had resolved that his feelings about whatever Sehun decides in the future concerning Jongin would be reserved unless needed, he wouldn't make it easy for his friend either. The passing whims of curious people are not something his hybrid needs, Sehun always having been sensitive about them. It was one of the many reasons he made himself especially difficult to befriend when it came to his roommate.

 

If Jongin is sincere, he'd have to work for it.

 

Sehun's done before Jongin is, despite eating like he had to savor each bite, but still, he stays. He scoots closer to Kyungsoo, playing with the shorter man's fingers despite having his own bathed in saliva. Jongin stuffs more food in his mouth with a little bit of jealousy to coat the back of his tongue. Kyungsoo eats expertly, cutting his food apart with just the fork without having it move around much. It looks utterly domestic, as Sehun places his chin on Kyungsoo's shoulder, making a little “ah” sound to ask for more food. Kyungsoo pops the food into the hybrid's mouth without protest, and Jongin wishes he could do the same for Sehun.

 

Jongin finishes up and goes to place his plate in the sink. Walking back to the table, Sehun's already disappeared from his place beside Kyungsoo, and Jongin feels mildly disappointed.

 

Looking around, Jongin finds the hybrid tucked away in one of his favorite spots. Sehun's by the window, looking over his shoulder at him curiously. He turns fully to look at the sky, content with the sun's rays. It's a sight Jongin's used to, as if Sehun hadn't been sitting at the table at all. Jongin smiles at the figure and goes off to look for his phone, lost somewhere in his blankets.

 

Unfortunately, it's about time he heads out; he only has one class but he needs to ask Chanyeol about something. He's comfortably becoming Jongin's go-to with his easy to talk to nature. He grabs his bag, announcing in passing to the front door his departure. He chances one more glance at the hybrid and he feels winded; Sehun graces him with an awkward, lopsided smile and he returns it with a face splitting grin. Jongin gets a face full of cheap wooden door as he body checks the entrance.

 

“Jongin, we can't afford a new door if you break ours,” Kyungsoo says in a deadpan tone from the table that barely has a view of the door. Still, Jongin escapes from his embarrassment to the sounds of Sehun's delighted giggles.

 

 

\--

 

 

After having texted to meet up again, Jongin found himself not asking the question he had planned and instead ended up gushing about Sehun to Chanyeol who seemed even more happy at the retelling than Jongin did, if that's possible. No matter how long Jongin could go on and on for, the question on the tip of his tongue pops up. He's a nervous person by nature and afraid of failure, but if it's with Chanyeol, he feels like he could be brave enough to ask.

 

“I forgot, I wanted to ask something,” Chanyeol perks up, head tilting a bit. “Uh, I was thinking about getting a part-time. I mean, I don't really need extra money but, uh it'd be nice,” At that, Chanyeol interjects excitedly as if he's had the greatest idea. It's mildly jarring because it was like the other read Jongin's mind.

 

“Jongin! Why don't you apply at the bowling alley? They're hiring and we could work together! _Pleaaase_ , the only other person working there when I'm in is _the_ most boring person, literally, on this entire planet.” Chanyeol clasped his hands together, on the verge of begging. Jongin is relieved that on his venture, he could dampen the fluttering nerves in his stomach with the invitation. The giant cheered when Jongin agreed to go in with him to get an application. Chanyeol happens to have a shift later that day, so they briefly stop by his place. Chanyeol promise's to invite Jongin over when they're free and when his floor isn't a hazard to human life. He waits for Chanyeol to change into a dark uniform and they pace themselves on their way to the bowling alley.

 

When they walk in, Jongin can't help but recoil from the mix of odd smells and the humid familiarity of the building. It's definitely a liminal space, as Jongin feels like he walked in only to walk out with a vague recollection of filling out some papers. Chanyeol sees him off and Jongin heads back home with nothing else on his plate. The sun's barely setting over buildings and Jongin feels his body sag with the awareness of how much has happened in the past few days.

 

He doesn't dwell on it; Jongin presses on hoping that things are headed in the right direction.

 

Before he knows it, he's already inside the warmth of the apartment complex. Walking into his shared apartment, he's once again met with a pair of blue and green eyes looking up from the couch. This time, however, Kyungsoo is trapped under Sehun and a thick blanket. Kyungsoo looks a bit flushed from what Jongin imagines must be a furnace, but he doesn't make to move either as he changes channels with nothing particular in mind.

 

“Dinner's in the oven,” Kyungsoo mutters under Sehun, zoned out from the light coming off the TV screen and the comfort the hybrid brings. He'll have to remind himself to head to bed before he dozes off. Sehun's habit of sleeping wherever and dragging Kyungsoo under him has led to dull aches to his back. Of course, he rarely denies Sehun, and it takes a couple of tries to pry the cat off and lead them to their rooms.

 

Jongin thanks him, taking out the plate of some new, hopefully savory dish Kyungsoo's cooked up and heads to his room. As he's about to shut the door, Sehun almost made him drop his dinner with his sudden appearance behind Jongin. The human sucks in a deep breath from the flare in panic. At least Sehun looks apologetic, cat ears briefly flat. “Sehun, uh, wh-” “Let's play, Jongin.” Sehun says firmly and Jongin looks down at his plate of food. Sehun looks at it as well, however, in disdain. Jongin can tell the cat is annoyed, having been made promises the night before and still made to wait. 

 

“How about you set up and when I'm finished eating, I'll show you some more games to play so you can use them when I'm not around? Honestly, I'm starving and the food Kyungsoo made looks really good,” Jongin pleads with a nervous chuckle. He looks at the hybrid with his best puppy eyed look, a look he knows has saved his skin throughout his life. Sehun tries his own version, pouty lips and puffy cheeks, in convincing Jongin to give in, but the human's stomach rumbles as if on cue and the hybrid sighs, defeated. Sehun relents and walks in, sitting by the TV and rummaging through the games noisily, as if in effort to hurry Jongin up.

 

Jongin is relieved, even relishing in the fact that Sehun's warming up enough to be demanding with no real venom behind his actions like before. It manages to be cute in his eyes, and Jongin, for once, doesn't feel bitterness creep up in his chest. He sits at his desk to eat after pulling out a text book and laptop to remind himself of some upcoming work due before he tires himself out (though, he knows he'll try his best not to look at them so he can forget that he has to do anything other than admire Sehun).

 

Bringing up a bite to test the food, Jongin's mouth pools with saliva at the heavenly taste. He refrains from moaning in front of Sehun, but Jongin's sound of amazement catches the hybrid's attention. Jongin digs in like a man starved, making a mental note to ask Kyungsoo to make it again in the near future.

 

Jongin freezes at the sound of the only other voice in the room. He didn't expect the hybrid to speak up, and Jongin meets Sehun's eyes with wide eyed confusion. “Hm?” He questions with full cheeks, unsure of what he's heard.

 

“Give me,” Sehun simply repeats, crawling close to Jongin and opening his mouth. Jongin is attacked by the sight before him; there is Sehun, kneeling by his desk with his mouth opened. It has him in a daze with a myriad of thoughts he desperately tries beating back with a metaphorical broom. It doesn't stop the rush of warmth elsewhere, unfortunately, and Jongin fidgets on his squeaky armchair. Sehun starts to glare at him, lips set into a pout and it startles Jongin into action. He didn't know how he is coordinated enough to perform the simple task without accidentally shoving the spoon into a perfect set of slightly sharp teeth. He carefully feeds Sehun a bite with his spoon, watching the lips wrap around the utensil and sliding away smoothly.

 

The cat is finally satisfied, chewing happily and looking up at Jongin with eyes shaped into pretty crescents. Sehun goes back to setting up the console and popping in a game as if nothing of note has happened, leaving Jongin to scream at the sight of his spoon internally.

 

Jongin's a mess.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh w yall, i initially wanted this fic to end in two chapters, yet, here we are, four chapters in and barely a scrape on this messy thing
> 
> this chapter is also rather shameless and slow |__u);;; i actually have something like an outline for this fic, but according to the outline, this should have progressed much further already lmaoooo,,,, im sorry....it looks like a long ride from here
> 
> ty guys for being really nice so far, im actually a super anxious and shy person and its difficult to post without going into a panic at the prospect of messing up or typing something that doesn't make sense and is too late to fix so im rl grateful!!!
> 
> im working on two other fics, although, im kinda apprehensive about posting one of them since it is another hybrid au but its Jongin and its heavier and kinda more angsty u__u!!! idk,,


	5. In which the author probably needs to look at a thesaurus sometime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's forty minutes in and Jongin is hyper-aware of his breathing, of his posture, of his fingers occasionally twitching with his desire to touch Sehun, who, unfortunately for the boy's poor heart, decided to lean his head on his shoulder. His body is flushed besides Jongin's and Sehun's tail is curled fully around the human's waist. He should feel relieved; this is how Sehun initially treated Kyungsoo's friends, but Jongin gathers that none of them held such a huge, shameless crush on the hybrid.

 

It took Jongin a while to convince himself to continue using the spoon, still a bit shiny with spit. Sehun would definitely notice if Jongin tried going out of his way to get another just after the hybrid had used it and outwardly, that's offensive enough. He's thinking too much of it, berating himself for acting like it'll suddenly mean something if he indirectly swaps spit with Sehun. It makes his face a little hot with both shame and embarrassment. He hesitantly finishes up his dinner, earning a worried glance from Sehun as he almost chokes on food half chewed.

  
  


Now that there wasn't anything to stall him any further, Jongin awkwardly trudges his way to sit next to the hybrid. His body movements are a bit stiff as he sits cross-legged on the floor. His pant leg rides up a bit, a cool sensation against the skin in direct contact with the floor and the goosebumps rise on his arms, unconsciously causing Jongin to shiver. As if feeling it himself, Sehun tilts his head at Jongin.

  
  


“Cold?”

  
  


He shakes his head, “Not really, it's just the floor.” Jongin looks down at his already bare feet, toes curling in as he feels a bit hyper-aware about them while the hybrid's were covered in dark, actually rather thick, socks. Sehun seems to reflect in silence. He jumps when Sehun shoots up to stand, looking down at Jongin expectantly. “You too,” he says and Jongin gets up slowly. He's uneasy though he's done nothing wrong, Jongin rationalizes to relax. Jongin had no clue what to do other than stand in the same spot as Sehun walks away to Jongin's bed.

  
  


“Oh,” Jongin remarks as the hybrid took his blanket off the bed and was in the process of folding it over once. Sehun goes back to their original spot, moving Jongin slightly out of the way to place the blanket on the floor. The cat looks back at Jongin, hesitant to sit, but neither of them are moving to get on the blanket. Sehun sighs, impatient that Jongin isn't taking the lead, so he takes the other's hand and pulls him down with him onto the soft blanket. Sehun sits down gracefully while Jongin stumbles onto his knees.

  
  


Jongin's shocked still, the image of his tanned hand contrasting against Sehun's incredibly pale and soft skin replays to him. The skin that came into contact with Sehun's still feels a bit of residual warmth. Sehun had, of course, already let go to hold the controller out for him, but Jongin's own hand hesitates to take it. He musters up some courage as his fingers once again wrap around the top of Sehun's hand. Jongin doesn't know what to make of it when Sehun's grip falters and his hand pulls away much quicker than the human would have liked. Sehun had been the one to lock their hands together first, but perhaps Jongin couldn't quite do so as casually yet.

  
  


Jongin felt tense from the rejection as the glow of the TV illuminates them, as well as the dimmer light of Jongin's desk lamp and laptop. He's holding the controller aimlessly. It wouldn't be surprising if he starts sweating, but not because of the thick cushioning under them. Again, Sehun huffs and prompts Jongin into action by hitting him once with his fluffy tail.

  
  


It breaks the tense atmosphere and he grins at the cat, chuckling when Sehun pushes Jongin's hands on the controller to continue. Jongin is thankful that Sehun didn't let  clumsy nerve wreck hinder him from making quiet demands. The little huffs and thumping tail that once caused Jongin to steer away from Sehun only emphasized how cute the hybrid actually is.

  
  


The tension fades, and brings with it comfort and ease. Both boys take turns, one completing one level and the other the next. Somewhere along the evening, Sehun flinches less and less when the controller is passed back to Jongin, who takes it careful in both hands. As Sehun's starting to progress less in the game, Jongin tries to instruct the hybrid only to be met with glares. Sehun obviously wanted to figure it out on his own but had been conceding even on parts of the game that seemed obvious to Jongin. Jongin stops short of outright laughter when Sehun starts shoving the controller back in frustration when he can't figure out how to keep going.

  
  


It's so apparent when Sehun ends up in failure that he wants to scream at the TV, Jongin, the controller, or all three. Jongin knows that look of barely contained anger and wants badly to tease Sehun about it. Instead and without much thought, he brings his palm up to Sehun's back and glides it up and down to soothe the cat.

  
  


Sehun freezes and Jongin does too when he realizes the boy has gone rigid. He doesn't want to push it, but still he waits for Sehun to be the one to remove Jongin's hand. He's crossing the line, Jongin knows, and yet he keeps his palm pressed gently against the hybrid.

  
  


“Sehun?” He calls the other, soft and almost quiet.

  
  


Sehun gradually relaxes under Jongin's hand and loosens the deadly grip he had on the controller. Jongin takes his hand off Sehun when the other started leaning back against it, quickly losing his nerve. There's a brief caress of a tail against Jongin's back.

  
  


“Something wrong?” Sehun lightly nudges him with his shoulder this time, and Jongin unconsciously follows the cat's body when he leans away. He sways back into place, sitting up straighter.

  
  


“Nope,” He cringes at the loud pop he makes when he over enunciates the P. “I should ask you that, though. You'll get gray hairs if we don't take a break.” Jongin chuckles as he motions at the controller in Sehun's grip. There's a moment of silence as Sehun thinks and Jongin expects for him to just shrug as usual.

  
  


“Breaks are for losers. And for your information, nothing's wrong with me, this game's just pissing me off.” Sehun looks at Jongin with a flat expression. Jongin stares at Sehun for a beat before the absurdity of hearing Sehun actually say and display such disdain has him doubling over with laughter, hitting the blanket under them with his palm. It's like he's suddenly hit with the funniest punchline and he can't stop from over reacting. Jongin brings his hand up to his mouth in an attempt to muffle his laughter but it's useless. Sehun's face is entirely red, looking indignant as Jongin wipes the tears from the corners of his eyes.

  
  


Jongin forces himself to take deep breaths as he feels the wind from Sehun's tail waving angrily behind them. “Well, excuse me for being such a shit player,” Sehun mutters and brings his legs up to his chest. Again, Jongin wants so badly to laugh because Sehun barely speaks around him, much less curses, but he is quick to amend himself anyway.

  
  


“It's not that you're bad because, believe me, you're terrible,” Sehun's looks could definitely kill, “It's just that you rarely talk, to me at least, and here you are with your potty mouth.” When it came to Sehun, Jongin hadn't been privy to anything other than silent treatments and, so far, shyness. Jongin was still taking in Sehun's demanding nature and overall cuteness.

  
  


Sehun continues to curl in, cat ears swiveling towards Jongin curiously, “Is it a bad thing?” The hybrid looks small, and Jongin's smile softens. “Honestly, I'm more surprised,” Jongin confesses. He leans just a bit closer to Sehun, speaking gently. “You shouldn't worry about it at all, I'd just like it if you let yourself talk more around me. I love it when you talk." Sehun blushes at that and Jongin feels a bit bold from it. "I also want you to be comfortable, though, so obviously you don't have to.” Sehun's cat ears flatten and a flash of guilt strikes him before he's looking away.

  
  


He looks like he wants to say something, and so Jongin let's them sit in silence. The cat's tail curls in a little as well and Jongin can feel it against his back. It's warm, pleasant, and if he was sure he could run his finger's through the black, soft fur, he'd have his hands buried in it.

  
  


“The other day when you asked me if there was something wrong,” Sehun's voice is just above a whisper, as if he wants it to fade, “I didn't answer you. I didn't mean to make you feel that way. It's just, I...When me and Soo--” Sehun looks like he's thinking of how to word it, mouth parting a few times but he ultimately slumps. He's frustrated. He doesn't know how to confess why he's acted like Jongin's very existence was a hindrance, an offense, for so long, doesn't know how to justify it, and so he circles his arms around his legs and buries his face in his knees.

  
  


A tender feeling settles over Jongin as Sehun tries to hide away from him as best as he can but his tail wraps around the human tighter as if apologetic.

  
  


Jongin doesn't press Sehun, just puts his hand on the cat's shoulder. Sehun stiffens for a moment but quickly dissipates the tension in his muscles. The human strokes his back and feels Sehun arch a bit to press harder into the contact. This time, Jongin just keeps rubbing circles against the hybrid.

  
  


“It's okay, let's just start over, yeah?” Jongin lowers his head in an attempt to catch a glimpse at Sehun's face. The hybrid turns the slightest to look at him above his arms, blue eye peaking up at Jongin. “Yeah?” Sehun speaks timidly. Jongin merely supplies a grin and a nod towards the hybrid. “It's never too late to be friends.” Jongin doesn't miss the subtle dusting of pink on the high point of Sehun's cheek and bridge of his nose.

  
  


With some convincing, Jongin decided it was best to load up a movie instead. Sehun pouted but accepted that he was defeated. “I'll kick your ass you little pixelated demons,” he hissed at the cartridge with enough venom to put a black mamba to shame. Jongin laughed out loud, loud enough to get Kyungsoo to knock on the wall separating their rooms as a warning. Sehun felt disappointed that Kyungsoo had cut it short but he reveled in the sound of the human's laughter, still vibrating against his skin.

  
  


Jongin pulled his desk chair closer, using it to place his laptop on it so that he and Sehun could stay sat on the blanket on the floor. He could have led them to lay on his bed instead, but just the idea of it has Jongin's blood rushing to his face. Maybe it's a bit underhanded, that Jongin puts on a movie that's over two hours long, but Sehun doesn't object. He gives Jongin a meaningful smile as he sees the run time, but focuses on the movie anyway.

  
  


It's forty minutes in and Jongin is hyper-aware of his breathing, of his posture, of his fingers occasionally twitching with his desire to touch Sehun, who, unfortunately for the boy's poor heart, decided to lean his head on his shoulder. His body is flushed besides Jongin's and Sehun's tail is curled fully around the human's waist. He should feel relieved; this is how Sehun initially treated Kyungsoo's friends, but Jongin gathers that none of them held such a huge, shameless crush on the hybrid.

  
  


Starting over, as friends despite Jongin's pining, would be difficult.

  
  


By the end of the movie, Jongin has a lap full of cat, Sehun's soft snores warming his thigh as his cheek rests against it. Jongin had felt it all happen; Sehun's swaying and nodding head sliding down his shoulder, flopping down onto the human's lap, sleepily rubbing his face against Jongin's thigh....  
  


 

The movie has long since stopped playing, the laptop's screen saver playing it's little animations and Jongin tries focusing on that and not how Sehun's body sears his own. The weight on him is so satisfying, like he's being weighed down by thick blankets, but Sehun is a lot of sharp angles too. Despite how he feels his heart try and jump out of his throat, he still manages to feel a niggling worry as the hybrid's shoulders and rib bones feel prominent as they dig into Jongin.

 

He tentatively raises his hand, briefly noticing how clammy it feels. The thick head of soft locks splay over Sehun's face and Jongin's thigh. The cat ears look just as silky. It's without preamble, without letting himself doubt any longer, that he carefully sweeps the bangs behind Sehun's human ear. Under the pale glow of the laptop, he feels he could map out the little freckles on the hybrid's skin. The dark, curling lashes throw long shadows against his cheeks and Sehun's lips, plump and a bit flushed, look delicious and tempting. Jongin smooths out Sehun's hair, earning a little sigh from the cat from such a gentle caress.

 

“Sehunnie, it's late, don't you want to come to bed?” Jongin freezes, whipping his head towards his now open door so quickly, it's a wonder he hasn't pulled a muscle. Kyungsoo's is standing at the entrance, one hand on the door knob and the other rubbing his eye from sleep. It's really late already, and it made sense for Kyungsoo to check up on the other boy as they were usually in and out of each other's rooms. Jongin had completely forgotten about Kyungsoo, lost in his own little world framed only by Sehun.

 

He shouldn't feel like he's been caught doing something insidious, but he does when the older boy looks at them, eyes suddenly wide and alert as he sees his cat laid on top of Jongin. The boy does his best to imitate a statue, eyes just as wide as Kyungsoo darts his own from Sehun up to him. He feels a cold sweat start at his neck and he's just a tad bit nauseous.

 

Instead of feeling the life choked out of him, Kyungsoo merely sighs and lets himself in. Jongin still braces himself as the other kneels down before the two huddled up boys and pats Sehun gently on the cheek.

 

“Sehun, if you're planning on sleeping, at least sleep on your bed.” The cat whines, burying his face against Jongin as deeply as he can. Jongin stays put and Sehun thinks about how nice the pillow under him feels. “Hun, you know you always get grumpy when you sleep on the floor,” Kyungsoo lifts up the hybrid by putting his arm under Sehun's chest, having to wiggle a bit just to separate him from Jongin.

 

The older of them finally manages to get Sehun to sit up, putting his arms under the hybrid and picking him up easily. The cat brings his arm up to Kyungsoo's neck and pillows his head against a sturdy shoulder. It's not as comfortable as he was before, but it's good enough to have him sigh at the warm familiarity. Jongin is in awe at how easily Kyungsoo could lift Sehun up bridal style off of the floor. Sehun may be thin, but his height makes him almost as heavy as the compact, shorter man.

 

Kyungsoo pins him with a look, guarded as he holds Sehun closer to himself. Jongin is proud that he only barely stops himself from cowering altogether.

 

“Sorry if Sehunnie bothered you,” Kyungsoo's features softened when he looked at the sleeping boy. When he looked back at Jongin, his features evened out, no longer suspicious and Jongin murmured something about how it wasn't a bother at all, cheeks red at the confession.

 

“It was nice...I guess, at least we're friends now...uh..I think?” Jongin tries sounding casual but his anxiety and doubt is clear. Kyungsoo shook his head at his young friend, a small smile spreading on his face. Jongin's crush was so very obvious but it seemed he didn't have bad intentions so far. In fact, he seemed timid about his feelings.

 

“Hm. I'm glad to hear. But next time, just wake him up so he doesn't end up drooling all over you.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Jongin look down at his leg, and sure enough, there's a pool of saliva on his thigh that's starting to cool. “I'll leave you to it then. Good night, Jongin, don't forget tomorrow's essay.” And with that, Kyungsoo leaves Jongin alone with nothing but his laptop glaring at him and dampened jeans. He misses Sehun's weight already, and he hopes that he gets to be just as close from now on.

 

Even as he takes the laptop off the chair and sits down at his desk, he can't stop the face splitting smile. Jongin shakes his head, wakes himself up as much as he can, and starts the dreaded essay.

 

Damn Kyungsoo for reminding his procrastinating ass about it and damn himself for focusing primarily, with dreamy sighs, on one Oh Sehun.

 

It's a long night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to post this yesterday but the thing crashed and i couldn't recover it! i thought i lost it forever so i gave up lmao like my dumbass can even remember what i typed
> 
> but i was able to get it back!!! and so uh....here.............a retelling of the second chapter lmaoooo 
> 
> it literally feels like i rewrote the second chapter but i hope this provides some progression....i really dont wanna keep ending chapters with Jongin at night but that's really the only way i know how to end these for now O(-( sorry if it feels a bit repetitive like this


	6. Cliche circumstances and confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You don't want me here.” Sehun's lip trembles and he bites it to stop such a pathetic display. Jongin presses his finger on the skin of Sehun's mouth, pulling back the abused flesh. Jongin makes out Sehun's glassy eyes; it's such a sad sight, it breaks his heart.
> 
> “I've always wanted you,” Jongin says just above a whisper, eyes focusing his sincerity on the beautiful blue and green eyes looking back, still clear in his haze. Sehun's stunned, breathless.

 

Jongin's essay wasn't particularly long, but boy, did he really have to force himself to focus. He doesn't quite remember most of what he wrote down, just that he somehow managed to get into his bed. Jongin wakes up with his face plastered against the wall and hair tickling his nose from inhaling the strands.

 

It's late and Jongin wakes up groggy and with his mouth thick with saliva and wafting morning breath. He doesn't bother showering just yet, just toes on slippers and drags his feet. He didn't want to get his hopes up about eating together with Sehun again, after all, he didn't wake nearly as early as the day before, and the cat didn't have much reason to stall.

 

So Jongin finds himself surprised that Sehun sits at the table with him even though it looked like Kyungsoo has long eaten already. The hybrid still has a full plate of food in front of him and begins to dig in carefully. Sehun peaks at him from the corner of his eye, giggling at Jongin's wild bed head.

 

Jongin feels his body come alive with the teasing sounds of Sehun's laughter. His palms are a bit sweaty despite the morning chill yet Sehun is sitting so comfortably next to him, occasionally asking for bites off of the others plate. Kyungsoo warns him from where he's tidying up, “Don't steal food Hun and eat your own breakfast first.” Sehun pouts, mumbling something about wanting to be fed, but Kyungsoo is determined to teach the cat some manners by coming back to the table and moving Sehun's plate until it's placed across from Jongin. Sehun relents, getting up from his spot next to the tan boy and plopping down grumpily on the other chair.

 

When Kyungsoo turns his back, Jongin's sure to sneak Sehun a few extra bites with a shaky grip on his fork.

 

Jongin barely has time to change and bid the cat and Kyungsoo goodbye before he's walking towards the front door. Kyungsoo's used to Jongin's mad dash in the morning and puts the younger's plate away. As Jongin stole one more glance at the hybrid, he paused when Sehun's lips parted, body tensing a bit as if reaching out. It was a brief gesture that had Jongin expecting, but Sehun wandered off like usual. Jongin shook the feeling off as he closed the door behind him.

 

 

\--

 

 

As Jongin finally left the apartment, Sehun felt an eerie silence settle in. Kyungsoo was already done wiping down the counters and settling onto the couch. He still has a good half hour before he needs to head out to his own classes and took the opportunity to play something on Netflix to fill in the silence. He's waiting for Sehun to slip back into the living room, pretending he didn't notice the hybrid watch the door as a precaution.

 

Kyungsoo lets out a little 'oof' as Sehun drops his entire weight onto the shorter man's lap. The cat ignored the sound, burying his face into Kyungsoo's neck, inhaling the soothing and familiar scent. He wants to clear up his feelings a little, though, he doesn't really know how to achieve that. Sehun turns just the slightest to face the TV, guessing what's playing. A distraction, if anything.

 

A hand cards through his hair, gentle and reassuring. Blunt nails scratch at the base of Sehun's cat ears, and the hybrid melts into the touch. Kyungsoo hums something, a tune Sehun doesn't know but nevertheless has him slipping his eyes closed. Sehun sighs, ready to talk.

 

“I think me and Jongin--”

 

“Jongin and I,” Kyungsoo corrects, teasing. Sehun rolls his eyes before continuing.

 

“I think we're okay.”

 

“Then? Isn't it a good thing?” Kyungsoo's fingers then splay against the top of his hybrid's head, stroking down to the base of Sehun's neck and massaging a bit forcefully to prevent the hybrid from completely falling asleep.

 

Sehun hums in thought. It's not a bad thing, but in his chest, it gives him a feeling of dissatisfaction, like there's supposed to be something else.

 

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Sehun shrugs against Kyungsoo, shoulder blades digging into the others chest.

 

“Tell me, Hun; does Jongin make you uncomfortable?” Kyungsoo makes Sehun sit on the couch so they can face each other better. He searches Sehun's expression. The human prods this time, concerned that Sehun's being forced to hang around Jongin, who's obviously a little infatuated with the hybrid. Maybe he read something wrong about the other, maybe he misunderstood Sehun's wants versus Jongin's crush. Perhaps all Sehun wanted was something platonic and Jongin wasn't willing to give him that option.

 

“No! No, he doesn't he--”

 

Sehun's cheeks color as if remembering something.

 

He is; he remembers how nice Jongin felt, how alarmingly secure he was just by leaning on the human, how much he wanted to bury his nose against his sun-kissed skin and how he wanted to curl up into Jongin's lap forever. The only time he's ever felt like having any desire close to this was when he lived in the kennels, huddled up with the object of his affections when he was starved for any form of love.

 

It ended in heart break back then, but Sehun wasn't there anymore. He was here, right now, with Kyungsoo, with Jongin, and the prospect of being entirely free to want something he didn't quite fully grasp made him more afraid than anything.

 

Sehun leans back against Kyungsoo, curling around him as best as he can. He takes Kyungsoo's hand in his own, pulling and bending the fingers to hold onto reality, to make sure he was still there, safe from harm.

 

“Do you wanna talk about it later Sehunnie,” Sehun hears the other ask softly, like he's speaking to a child but the hybrid nods anyway.

 

“Mm. It's almost time for you to go, anyway,” He tries not to sound upset at being left to his own devices when he's unsure about himself. Sehun doesn't want to be left alone, even if it's only for a few hours but he wouldn't impede Kyungsoo from his courses either.

 

Kyungsoo detects the slight waver of Sehun's voice, curling his fingers against Sehun's so they lock together in his lap. “I can stay if you want, it's fine. I'm ahead in class, anyway.”

 

Sehun really wants him to, wants to talk, to figure it all out, but Kyungsoo does so much for him already. The hybrid really doesn't think he's worth the attention, though he craves it, wants it from Jongin as well. Jongin, who has never reproached him for how he's behaved...

 

“I'll be fine, you won't be gone forever, Soo.” It's meant to sound light, but Kyungsoo knows that at one point, Sehun would have been so afraid, day after day, of being abandoned. It held some insecurity, and he reassured that, yes, he'll be gone just a bit. Not long at all.

 

“Besides, even if I run late, I'll call. Now that you and Jongin have made up, you can go to him if you're feeling lonely when I'm not here,” Kyungsoo smiles that heart shaped smile Sehun's grown fond of. Sehun retorts with a huff, blushing at the implication.

 

“Get going already! I'm a very busy cat, the sun is coming through the window at the best time of day for peak lounging and I'd rather not miss it,” Sehun crosses his arms, turning up his nose to the delighted, deep laughter of his human.

 

“It'd be terrible if you missed it.”

 

“Devastating! How would I be able to go on for the rest of the day?”

 

“Okay, don't be so dramatic, you baby,” Kyungsoo ruffled Sehun's hair. The hybrid swats his hand away in indignation.

 

“How would you know, you're human,” Sehun stuck his tongue out at the amused man.

 

“I know, we're all just the very worst.” It was said simply, with no real offense taken, but Sehun paused just for a moment.

 

“Well, you're not as great as a cat, but I suppose you're okay.” It was a bit quiet, as if reassuring himself of his choice in humans. Humans that would take care of him. Humans he could rely on even though there are some days when it's hard to. Humans that value who he is as both a person and something more.

 

Kyungsoo could hardly stop himself from cooing at the boy, who tugged his knees closer to his chest in a bid to comfort himself.

 

A mischievous smile broke through his features, causing Sehun to narrow his eyes at him.

 

“I bet Jongin's a little more than okay, huh?” He couldn't help but tease. Sehun sputtered, face rushing with warmth before he was making to grab something.

 

Kyungsoo will admit he probably deserved the pillow launched with accurate trajectory to his face.

 

 

\--

 

 

Sehun had heard Jongin fiddle with the front door, his scent thicker and distinguishable from Kyungsoo's, so he had scampered to put the warmed up plates of food on the table eagerly before Jongin could take notice. As Jongin walked by the table, he recognizes the leftovers from last night, grateful there is any left at all. He looks to Sehun who is already digging his fingers in the dish to eat and thanked him sincerely. Behind Sehun, his tail sways delighted and his cat ears perk, but his features are less telling and more subdued. There is just the faint swathe of a blush across his cheeks, and not much else.

 

They settle to eat together, Jongin occasionally griping about his class, his homework and portfolios, his upcoming job, just to fill the silence, and Sehun nodded at it all, taking in each and every detail. He doesn't really relate to most of it, but can only imagine how stressed he'd be if he needed to do so many things on top of each other. He quietly, awkwardly, wishes Jongin good luck and Jongin couldn't have looked happier.

 

Sehun really only started talking when they were once again sitting on Jongin's blanket on the floor, playing together, playing one after the other, playing against each other. Sehun was losing, but he was giggling more than outright tossing the controller out the window or something equally dramatic. He talked about his favorite spot.

 

“U _nder the window?”_

 

“ _Yes, it's really the best! Especially when the sun rays are long and I can stretch out.”_

 

“ _You really are just like a cat.”_

 

“ _What did you expect?”_

 

Sehun talks about some marvel series he's binge watched, making Jongin envious of the surplus amount of free time the hybrid possesses. He's roaring with laughter when Jongin gasps at being told a major spoiler, looking utterly aghast.

 

The smile is wiped right off his face when Jongin absolutely destroys his character in-game. He starts yelling at Jongin, about how it was just downright cruel, and Jongin's the one laughing to his heart's content as Sehun hits him halfheartedly with his fists.

 

They suppress their giggling, shushing each other like young boys who are up past bedtime when Kyungsoo once again knocks against the wall to warn them. He had come home to Jongin and Sehun's surprise; it makes them realize how they've lost track of time. It felt like they were catching up, although what they had was only just given a chance to grow.

 

Jongin settles down, quiet suddenly, causing Sehun to worry.

 

“Jongin?” He brushes his tail against Jongin, and the other boy merely shakes his head.

 

“I have some more work due soon.” Jongin checks his phone, and sure enough, it's nearing 10. He doesn't really have class the next day, but he does have to submit a rough draft online in a couple hours. He was also determined to finish an upcoming paper before the due date, not to mention the outline proposals he needed to draft up as well. He feels a bit tired just thinking about them, but he's managed rather well so far. Jongin could finish these up with time to spare if he got a jump on them and, with any luck, he'd spend his entire, if not most of his weekend hanging out with Sehun.

 

Sehun's cat ears flatten, clearly upset at what this meant. He doesn't know Jongin's thought process, just knows that Jongin's cutting their hang out short in favor of some dumb school work. Well, to Jongin it's not dumb, rather a necessity in his education, but Sehun can't help the twinge of discomfort in his chest. It's irrational, he knows it is, but he really does feel like dragging Jongin away from his work. He shakes those feelings away with a nod towards Jongin. The human looks apologetic; Jongin also didn't want to leave things the way they were. Sehun and he still had tons to talk about, tons to show each other, tons to figure out and explore, but for the hybrid, Jongin will find a way to give the other all the time in the world.

 

For now, college responsibilities called first, Sehun will be still be there after he's finished his obligations.

 

“You know that once I'm free, we'll be right here again. You can tell me again how it feels to eat dirt every time I beat you at brawl.” Jongin gave the hybrid a cheeky grin, hoping to goad the hybrid on. Sehun still looked a bit upset, though he tried his best to glare at Jongin playfully. It's quiet for a moment and they take in each other's features.

 

Jongin looks at Sehun with affection, and the hybrid mirrors it unconsciously. The human bravely brushed a strand of silky, jet black hair away from Sehun's clear, pretty eyes, the hybrid attempting to lean into the hand. Sehun's apprehensive but he let's Jongin do as he pleases, curious and wanting. The other traces Sehun's human ear down to the slope of a sharp jawline, briefly, but it leaves a tingling on the cat's skin where Jongin trailed his fingertip.

 

“I'll always make time for you.”

 

 

\--

 

 

Sehun felt his heart break as Jongin seemed to fade back into the corners of the apartment now that he needed more from the human. More attention, more reassurance, his company, his voice that was as warm as his entire being. More of the scent that invigorated Sehun while also making him feel secure.

 

Each day, each week, it was as if they were reverting back to how things were in the beginning; somewhere in between being buried under towering amounts of papers, textbooks, work, and studying. They ended up playing less, eating together less—it was as if Sehun and Jongin hadn't even bridged their problems at all.

 

The hybrid could only take and cherish whatever Jongin could manage to offer him.

 

Sehun was now the one seeking Jongin out, knocking on his door to be greeted by a haggard looking boy who seemed to constantly apologize about some thing or the other.

 

“ _Maybe when I finish up my portfolio.”_

 

“ _I'm sorry, Sehun, I promised to go in for a shift.”_

 

“ _I need to do some observational hours, I'll try to be back early.”_

 

“ _I have practice tomorrow, I should probably try to sleep as much as I can.”_

 

“ _I already ate dinner, I'm gonna go ahead and finish up some homework.”_

 

“ _I'm sorry, but I'm really tired. You can play on your own if you want to.”_

 

“ _I know. I'm sorry. Later, okay?”_

 

Jongin didn't know what he did to Sehun every time he rejected the hybrid; he was becoming irritated, anxious, he doubted whatever Jongin made him feel, whatever he thought Jongin felt for him.

 

Kyungsoo noticed the drastic changes, observing from an outsider's point of view. Sehun would rarely talk to him now, just try to dispel his feelings by plastering himself to Kyungsoo. Jongin was simply stressed, tired, taking on demanding workloads despite Kyungsoo's warnings at the beginning of the semester. Jongin was ambitious and naive.

 

He understood, Jongin's parents having to mostly pay out of pocket for the semester; dropping classes this far in was simply not an option. He was making do as best he could. However, Sehun was also a victim and Kyungsoo could hardly replace the feeling the hybrid had for his friend.

 

Sehun slept more and more in his own room, finally settling with clinging to loneliness. Kyungsoo would sometimes stay in there, pet Sehun's hair, brush the strands away, but Sehun started locking his door. His human was worried for him, Sehun never having fared well in the cold despite being a hybrid. Usually, Sehun would be almost constantly snuggled up to Kyungsoo to steal his body warmth, wrapped up in his favorite electric blanket and causing his human to at least crack open the window for relief from the heat.

 

The nights were getting bitingly cold. When Kyungsoo saw Sehun on the couch on occasion, he'd be wrapped in layers of clothing.

 

He wondered if Sehun had stolen enough blankets, at least.

 

Sehun was feeling just as stressed as Jongin, reverting back into a deep depression at finally accepting every rejection, though each not intentional by any means. Jongin is overworked, stressed, and needed a break from what he's brought upon himself.

 

It comes in the form of a terrible cold that has Jongin exhausted, body aching and sweating from fever. He couldn't keep the contents in his stomach down any longer.

 

Sehun finds Jongin nearly passed out hugging the toilet and Kyungsoo finds Sehun dragging the other towards Jongin's bedroom with large tears rolling down his cheeks, stained red with exertion.

 

Kyungsoo makes calls in place of Jongin to his professors, telling them that Jongin's sick and unable to attend class. Of course, with the way Jongin had been looking recently, his professor's were understanding and not the least bit surprised. He was a diligent student, albeit sometimes a bit of a last minute type, so his work could be forgiven until he was better.

 

When Kyungsoo caught Sehun trying to sneak back into his own room, he steered him away, guiding him back to Jongin's.

 

“Sehun, keep an eye on him while I go to the store and grab some things to help Jongin, alright?”

 

Sehun grimaced, unhappy with the prospect, but Jongin looked so terrible and sick. The cat wiped the damp tear tracks from his face and nodded once. Kyungsoo rushed off, Sehun making out the sound of the front door shutting before he was up and pacing. His feelings were going haywire; he wanted to stay, he wanted to be with Jongin, to care for him but he wanted to run, disillusioned and hurt. Sehun felt like his feelings were choking him, the lump thick against his throat.

 

He stopped pacing, instead he knelt beside the edge of Jongin's bed. Jongin was sweating under the blanket, soaking the collar of his shirt. His skin didn't glow like it did when they first met, when they first played together, when Jongin touched his skin and felt so close to Sehun, he felt like he was going to burn up. Now, Jongin was the one that felt like a wildfire broke across his skin, searing him from inside and out.

 

Feeling the welling of tears in his eyes, Sehun decided, against his instincts to run, to lay his head against the bed, sheets cool against his cheek.

 

His breath caught in his throat when he felt fingers thread into his hair, curling gently in his locks and pushing the strands from his forehead. Sehun looked up at Jongin, who turned his body so he could more comfortably stroke the hybrid's hair.

 

“I always wanted to...feel how soft your hair is...feels nice,” Jongin mumbles as he continues to card sweat slick fingers in Sehun's hair. Sehun felt the affection flood back, rushing through every one of his nerves. The tears finally fell forth and Sehun shook as he pressed the crown of his head against Jongin's touch. Jongin looks unfocused, and yet he still manages to brush away the tears.

 

“Wha's wrong..,” Jongin asks with a bit of a slur in his voice. Despite the rough edge, it still warms Sehun's chest. His hand cups Sehun's cheek, and it's cool against his sweaty palm. The tips of Jongin's fingers alight Sehun with warmth, the tender gesture making him dizzy with emotion.

 

Sehun's been done with this pining, with being bitter and lonely in his own misery. In Jongin's weakened state, he finds the courage to confess.

 

“I miss being with you.” The hand against his face tenses.

 

Jongin searches for something in Sehun's expression, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

 

“But I'm right here...”

 

Sehun sniffs, rubs his face into the palm of Jongin's hand. The tears smear against it. 

 

“You don't want me here.” Sehun's lip trembles and he bites it to stop such a pathetic display. Jongin presses his finger on the skin of Sehun's mouth, pulling back the abused flesh. Jongin makes out Sehun's glassy eyes; it's such a sad sight, it breaks his heart.

 

“I've always wanted you,” Jongin says just above a whisper, eyes focusing his sincerity on the beautiful blue and green eyes looking back, still clear in his haze. Sehun's stunned, breathless. “'m sorry, if it felt like I didn't...I want you, Sehun. Want you with me.”

 

Sehun gives in. He wanted to yell at Jongin, be angry; he didn't need to feel as if he were being crushed under the weight of his emotions. But, that all dissipates with Jongin's words. 

 

Jongin cupped Sehun's face in both of his hands gently, tentatively pulling them away only to have Sehun follow his touch. The hybrid followed until he was being tucked under Jongin's comforter, resting almost entirely on top of the human. He doesn't mind the slick skin sticking to his own, just tries to engrave the hold of surprisingly strong arms on his waist into his being. He breathes in a scent he's been missing for so long, he almost feels like crying from relief.

 

Fingers still smoothed out his hair, playing with the locks, and Sehun feels the vibrations from Jongin's voice.

 

“We can figure this out later. I promise.” Even with the result of Jongin's previous promise, Sehun's more inclined to believe that they'll talk this through-- he'll make it so.

 

For now, everything is at it should be.

 

Sehun finally feels the satisfaction his heart's been craving as he molds himself perfectly against Jongin.

 

 

\--

 

 

When Kyungsoo returns, he doesn't have the heart to take Sehun away from a feverish Jongin. Kyungsoo does his best to clean his friend's sweat away, yanking off his shirt and dressing him more comfortably. Sehun protests from being jostled away from his hold in Jongin's arms temporarily. He does end up helping a bit anyways before snuggling up under Jongin's chin and sleeping in arms instinctively winding around him.

 

After taking a commemorative photo on his phone, Kyungsoo walks to the kitchen and unpacks the groceries he's bought so he can start on making porridge. As a precaution, though, he makes a few extra servings for what would most likely be a very sick yet incredibly whiny hybrid in his care.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me @ me after typing this up: Shut!!!!! Up!!!!!!!! 
> 
> uhghhghg I know there's some progression, but believe me this is ........like..........barely half or so of this fic story lmao
> 
> this is a weird transition between events, i kno, but i'm tired of dragging this out more than necessary :((((
> 
> jeez.........anyway.....it's my bday lmao congratz to my mom for having me


	7. Angst? I don't know her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why?” Jongin's voice is quiet, but he sounds disappointed. 
> 
> Sehun can only fidget the tiniest bit but Jongin's hold is strong, firm around him.
> 
> “You,” and Sehun can't help but feel himself ignite with shame at how petty he will sound, clamping his eyelids shut, “you were taking Kyungsoo away from me.”
> 
> (italics are annoying)

 

Jongin woke up refreshed, although with some difficulty breathing. There was a weight against his chest, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. Actually, he wanted to bury himself under it completely. A little whine sounded when he made to get as comfortable as possible.

 

As he pulls down the blankets, it only stiffens it's hold around him. Jongin is hazy with confusion and opens one heavy lid, then the other. Despite being under the shade of his comforter, it's still hard for his vision to adjust. Though, it didn't take more than a glance to see what has it's unyielding grip around his body.

 

There, pressed as close as possible is one cat hybrid with winding, sharp limbs holding on for dear life. Jongin's smile presses against the crown of Sehun's head and the boy held onto the hybrid gently. The cat rubs his head against Jongin's chest and the feelings surging through the other has him giggling, breath huffing against soft strands of hair.

 

Sehun was now waking up himself, jostled by the light shaking of Jongin's body under his. The hybrid turned his head so that his chin is perched in the middle of Jongin's chest. Jongin can only stare in wonder at the flushed cat nestled so comfortably on him. Sehun's eyes are a bit hooded, face stained a rosy color and a light sheen of sweat mats the inky locks against his forehead. Still, it's a sight to behold. Jongin could tell that Sehun had also gotten ill, but it served as a testament towards the hybrid's beauty in every way.

 

Jongin pressed a cool, gentle palm against Sehun's cheek, checking his temperature. He's slightly feverish, and Jongin can't help but coo at the hybrid's unwillingness to leave his side despite suffering the consequences. There's a light rumble starting up against him; Sehun's purring from his simple touch. Jongin wants to hold him tight, but instead tries detangling the others limbs from his body. The hybrid whines louder, a rasp evident in his voice. He feels a twinge of guilt, but Jongin's elation at being wanted has him a little less sorry than he has a right to.

 

“...Jongin...”

 

“Shh, it's okay, Sehun. Just rest, I'll still be here,” Jongin assures the hybrid, brushing away the hair from Sehun's face to let some cool air hit his skin. Jongin slips out of bed and the hybrid curls up around the human's pillow, face buried against it. He doesn't move Sehun, simply tucks him in under his covers and presses a quick kiss to the other's head. Sehun sighs, appeased for the moment.

 

Jongin notices that he probably had the best sleep he's had in weeks, although at a hit to Sehun's health. It's as if the hybrid took away from Jongin so he could finally rest. He can't help but admire Sehun, overflowing with love for the being making his home in his bed, as he already has in his heart the first day they met.

 

It's cliché to admit, but Jongin has tried so hard to win over Sehun because, well, he felt _something_ for him from the get go (though his piercing glare could rival that of Kyungsoo's). He had been initially unaware but somewhere along the line he simply accepted these feelings wholly. There was no fanfare, no actual denial, though he felt his conscious eat away at him when thinking about Sehun in not so totally innocent ways. Still, who wouldn't be even just a little in love with Sehun?

 

Jongin recalls that Junmyeon, who looked so reserved and composed, both on campus and in personal spaces, seemed to have a permanent tint of pink on his cheeks when Sehun would occupy his lap.

 

There's a flare of jealousy from how Sehun could make others smitten for him, but right now, he also has Sehun all to himself, tucked under his sheets and sharing Jongin's space as if it were natural.

 

Jongin feels like he could spin around his room and dance. That is, if he weren't suddenly met with his roommate entering his room as if it's his own. Jongin almost jumps out of his own skin as Kyungsoo paces past him and towards Sehun, making quick work of checking him over.

 

“Ah, this kid....I told him to let you get well on your own but he acted like you'd disappear into thin air if he wasn't here.” Kyungsoo caresses the hybrid, occasionally passing over the cat ears. The slight flick of them catches Jongin's eye. _It must be ticklish_ , he surmises.

 

“Are you guys done dancing around each other?” Kyungsoo doesn't look back at Jongin, but it's like the younger is being held in the place he stands.

 

Jongin could protest, say there isn't anything going on. Kyungsoo is waiting for his answer, voice surprisingly sounding calm and body relaxed. So, Jongin doesn't deny anything; he hasn't tried to with himself, he only feels sheepish at the fact that he thought he couldn't confide in his friend. There's a reason their friendship was easy to develop, and it's because Kyungsoo always listened to him with his full attention or how he would always sense something before Jongin could even start putting his thoughts in order. His advice wouldn't mince words, Kyungsoo stated simply whatever his thoughts were and his temperament was much more gentle than his appearance lets on.

 

Jongin knows he should trust more in his friend.

 

“I think there is a lot of things to do before we're...there,” Jongin admits, pulling at some stray threads on his sleeve. “But I think we can start talking.” It's a bit cryptic, but otherwise it cements Jongin's feelings in the long run; he's willing to work this out carefully and if there's nothing to receive in return, well, he can at least say that he gave it a chance.

 

Kyungsoo looks back at him, assessing his answer, before nodding minutely and tending to a sick Sehun.

 

“When I got sick, Sehun would try to stay with me, looking desperate. It was almost like he was watching me die,” Kyungsoo smiled at the memory of a smaller, thinner hybrid wailing because his human had caught some bug in the winter time. “So at first, I would lock him out of my room, try to take care of myself until I was better. Instead of catching it from me, though, he'd get sick from the stress of knowing I was sick and not being able to anything about it.” Jongin winced, imagining Sehun crying his heart out to the point his body was left in such a weak state.

 

Jongin remembers, vaguely, the image of Sehun's body shaking with emotion. He remembers, it's _engraved_ into his mind, the shiny blue and green eyes looking at him as if Sehun were watching him for the last time.

 

And then, he remembers the rest.

 

“ _I miss being with you.”_

 

“ _You don't want me here.”_

 

Jongin feels like crying. _How could I make him believe that?_ Jongin chastises himself. There's a startling unease fluttering inside him and it makes him a bit queasy. Kyungsoo's voice startles him out of his self loathing.

 

“Sehun shouldn't get sick over you if you won't be serious about his feelings. Before I came, he had to live at the whims of people who liked him,” Kyungsoo starts to whisper as he heard Sehun mumble incoherently in his sleep, afraid to wake him. “Who wanted him. Until they didn't.” Jongin swallows painfully as Kyungsoo's voice gets a little shaky. “Can you imagine what that's like? How hard it is to trust someone after having something dangled in your face just for it to be taken away from you? I promised I'd always look after him, and I'm going to trust that you'd do the same.”

 

Kyungsoo stood up, walking towards Jongin resolutely. Even though he's taller than Kyungsoo, the others presence has Jongin cowering back until he's cornered in his own room. “I made a mistake once, and I hope whatever it was that had Sehun running after you is worth it. For his sake.”

 

“Kyungsoo--” Jongin starts, but Kyungsoo cuts him off with a firm grip on his shoulder and a tight smile.

 

“Come on. It's your turn to help me take care of Sehun. You guys should talk soon, when Sehun get's better.”  
  


With that, the conversation ends. Kyungsoo said his piece. Jongin burns to know more, but instead he wills himself to wait. For now, Sehun is whining for him again; this time, he wouldn't shut him out.

 

 

\--

 

 

Sehun is so cute, it's almost detrimental to Jongin's well-being. Otherwise, he's just plain exasperated with the fact the hybrid won't stop trying to follow him out of bed when Jongin needs to step out for something. It takes a while for Sehun to regain his full strength, though Kyungsoo suspects he simply didn't want to abandon the comfort of Jongin's bed, making up excuses to Jongin's obliviousness.

 

Jongin revels in sharing his bed with the clingy hybrid anyway, even though Kyungsoo feels a strain to his eyeballs from rolling them every time Sehun fake-coughs.

 

As Jongin's short bed rest ends, his piling workload and finals start approaching at break neck speed. It's now or never, Sehun decides, as even Jongin can tell Sehun has been well for a while.

 

“ _Don't cough like that, you'll seriously hurt your throat, Sehun.” Jongin chastised, though playfully with a short-lived glare. Sehun finally admitted his little charade with a cute pout and Jongin can't help but poke his puffed up cheeks._

 

There are things to confess, some things left for later, but for now Sehun felt that his fake-illness wasn't the only thing he should finally admit to.

 

 

\--

 

 

Sehun's a little quiet. It wouldn't have been unusual before, but Sehun had been more talkative with Jongin, opening up slowly but surely.

 

They're huddled in bed, laptop perched on Sehun's lap as the hybrid leans against Jongin's chest. Jongin still doesn't have the courage yet to circle his arms around Sehun, so they lay awkwardly at his sides.

 

Jongin tries taking a closer look at the hybrid, as he had been complaining about the movie and it's totally unnecessary romantic subplot (though he can tell Sehun is just embarrassed by it by the way his cheeks pinked) up until twenty or so minutes ago. The other looks contemplative, brows furrowed in concentration and lips drawn thin. Sehun's vision is clearly on the darkness surrounding the light of the laptop and isn't focused on the movie anymore. It doesn't seem like he could care any less about it right then.

 

Under the blanket, Jongin squeezes Sehun's sides gently to break the cat's daze. The hybrid jumps, as if he had completely forgotten Jongin was there.

 

“Sehun? Something on your mind?” The cat looks back at the screen and hums. Jongin reaches over to pause the movie, resulting in him pressing even closer against Sehun. Sehun wants to melt into the unintentional embrace, but Jongin withdraws his arm back by his sides under the blanket.

 

The hybrid isn't having it and touches around under the covers until he feels fingers twitch under his touch. He grabs the warm hands and folds them over his stomach so Jongin is holding him. Jongin's face burns, his hands splayed against the firm planes of the hybrid's abdomen. It's real, the body against his, and he ventures a bit outside of his self-imposed restraint.

 

He curls his arms around Sehun until he's holding as much of him as possible. Pulls him just a bit closer. Jongin rests his chin against the bony shoulder and Sehun relaxes, tilting his head so his cheek touches against the other's.

 

They fit, falling like puzzle pieces.

 

“I must be so hard to deal with.”

 

Jongin feels a sort of jolt course through him because to him, it just isn't the case. He's taken everything Sehun has thrown at him while also dealing with his fledgling feelings. It wasn't always easy, but after all, now it did—it just was simple enough.

 

“I just think you wanted to be pampered,” Jongin teases, grinning wide and Sehun feels his cheeks push up against his own face as they hold each other close. He steels his nerves.

 

“No, Jongin--” Sehun sighs, slumping fully against the body behind him. Sehun can also feel when Jongin's face falls, cheeks pulled back into place.

 

“Truth is, I wanted to hate you so bad.”

 

There's a painful pull to Jongin's heart and his fingers dig into the body before him, causing Sehun to whimper. He whispers a soft _'sorry'_ and loosens his grip, rubbing at the sore spots. He tries to shake off the slight wave of nausea at the revelation. Sehun doesn't hate him right _now_ , not when they've been gravitating towards each other when the animosity had faded. Not since they have been trying to constantly find ways to be as close as possible while still working their way into each other seamlessly.

 

“Why?” Jongin's voice is quiet, but he sounds disappointed. 

 

Sehun can only fidget the tiniest bit but Jongin's hold is strong, firm around him.

 

“You,” and Sehun can't help but feel himself ignite with shame at how petty he will sound, clamping his eyelids shut, “you were taking Kyungsoo away from me.”

 

The human stiffened, and Sehun tried to sit up straighter. He continued.

 

“Kyungsoo was going to leave. He was going to leave without me.”

 

Jongin remembers that Sehun coming along with them as a third roommate was somewhat last minute, but Jongin thought, well, it's obvious that the hybrid would tag along. He's Kyungsoo's afterall.

 

“I thought--I thought I was going to be abandoned again. Kyungsoo's parents are nice, they're wonderful, actually.” Sehun's thoughtful for a moment, and Jongin glances at Sehun's face, illuminated by the low light of the laptop. The cat has his bottom lip trapped in between his teeth. His eyes are getting shiny by the second. Sehun takes in a shuddering breath.

 

“But I only ever trusted Kyungsoo. Trusted that he'd always come back. And then he comes home one day, telling his parents that he was moving away.”

 

 

 --

 

 

_“Oh, are you sure, hon?” Kyungsoo's mother sounds concerned, a slight waver in her soft voice, but not as opposed as Sehun would have thought._

_Sehun, on the other hand, is stiff, glued in place as he watches the family silently._

_“Yeah, but I'm gonna be rooming with a friend, so it's not like I'd be completely alone.” Kyungsoo reassures his mother, who nods after a brief silence._

_“How much thought have you put into this, exactly,” Kyungsoo's father questions._

_“I've already been looking for apartments near the university, if I try for a dorm, I might not be able to room with Jongin. We've even gone up there on the weekends to make sure we won't end up neighboring with some serial killer or whatever.” His mother gasps at his attempt at humor, smacking him lightly on his shoulder._

_“Don't make me worry already, Kyungsoo!” She reprimands, but she's already wrapping her head around having her child move out. Of course they knew it would happen, their son is naturally independent. He's an excellent cook so it's not like he'd starve and his parents know him well, trusting he's not irresponsible either. They can help rent out an apartment, and visit occasionally, as the university is only really about two hours away._

_The family chatted away, while Sehun slunk back to his and Kyungsoo's room. Of course he had his own bed in the Do home, but Sehun never felt warm enough, safe enough, to spend more than a few nights in his own, too large bed. His room was lifeless, empty, unable to bear to put up his own things for the ever lingering thought, a small thought now, that he would have to leave again. Leave another home, leave another family, another place to belong—it's just a habit to keep as little possessions as possible. (His blankets and pillows, Sehun would probably never trade in his life, however.)_

_He can hear the faint sounds of planning behind the plaster walls and his own thoughts racing. It's overwhelming._

_Would Sehun have to acclimate to his surroundings again? It had taken so much time and energy just to trust Kyungsoo, his home, his parents, his town--_

_Sehun's stomach fluttered with anxiety, a light sweat forming from his stress._

_It's not for a couple more hours that Kyungsoo finally retreats to his room, finding Sehun sitting on his bed in the dark, eyes flashing from the glow of the moon lighting up the room. It's the only part of him that sticks out, the rest covered in blankets. It's getting warmer, even the nights in May can't be good for the cat to be buried under Kyungsoo's heavier blanket._

_Kyungsoo peels the covers from Sehun, who looks dazed. He's worked up a sweat, but it couldn't have been hot enough for Sehun to look like he'd fall over any second. His cheeks are blotchy and his eyes slightly unfocused. Kyungsoo goes to turn on the fan, placing it near the hybrid._

_“Hun, you need to start turning on the fan, it's starting to get warmer.” Kyungsoo reminds the cat._

_“Are we really moving? Does that mean I have to get used to a new place? I like it here, why can't we stay,” Sehun mumbles, barely audible enough for Kyungsoo to hear above the noise of the fan._

_Kyungsoo freezes, imitating a deer caught in the headlights as he looks at Sehun. He sighs, sitting next to Sehun as the cat tucks his chin against his knees._

_“Sehun...I...I thought it would be better if you stayed here,” Kyungsoo looks away from Sehun. The hybrid looked stunned, confused even and Kyungsoo couldn't bare the flash of betrayal._

_“What are you saying? You're--” The dawning realization hits Sehun as a choked sob leaves his throat painfully. It pierces through Kyungsoo's heart._

_“You're leaving me behind?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....................anyway lmao here i am again....................
> 
> this chapter was already pushing the 5k word count so i decided to cut it in half
> 
> the semester started a couple weeks ago, hence why i have gone on an unintentional hiatus,,
> 
> ughghghg anyway i hope this isn't like...........too bad but i wanted to post something!!! 
> 
> thanks for liking my dumb stuff, ill have a new fic up soon, although yall will prly get sick of the trend :))),,,,,,
> 
> also i realize that the longer i make this fic, the more inconsistent it seems from the first ch, but uh, lets hang in there anyway, theres nothing i can do about it now lmao
> 
> (sorry i havent actually replied to any of u, depite yall being so nice to me, i feel awkward trying to now lmao < :')),,,)


	8. So many words so far just for a very tame set up!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You don't have an obligation to me,” Sehun says, voice rough and pained. Kyungsoo attempts to shush him but Sehun moves to sit beside the other. Kyungsoo's never seen Sehun look so worn down aside from the day he met him and it causes the bile to rise inside him.
> 
> “I overreacted, Soo...I thought, I thought we'd always be side by side. That's always been impossible.” Sehun is calm but Kyungsoo is on high alert, the stress bubbling up and threatening to spill out of him.

_“You're leaving me behind?”_

_Kyungsoo regrets facing Sehun's eyes. The horror is so clear on his face, his eyes brimming with tears. His lips quiver and Kyungsoo reaches out only to have Sehun back away from him, visibly flinching._

_Kyungsoo pulls his hand back, fist settling on the covers Sehun had been wrapped safely in._

  
  
_“I just don't think it'd be good for you to go, it was so hard for you when you first came here, so I asked my parents to look after you.”_

_“How--,” Sehun can't get anymore words out without his voice trembling, and each breath labored with fear prevents him from creating a coherent sentence. His ears flatten against his black hair, seemingly disappearing and his tail is tightly coiled around his middle._

_Even in his state, he tries his best to suppress the pathetic whimpers clogging his throat._

_He presses his palms against his eyes, presses until his vision spots._

_Sehun finally goes still. Kyungsoo awaits any further reaction. Sehun wraps his arms around himself, mutters an 'okay' and makes to move away from the bed. Kyungsoo wants to desperately bring Sehun into his arms but when he tries, Sehun dodges him easily._

_Sehun finally flees to his own room, only feeling safe in the cold and empty four walls, away from the source of his aching heart._

_Trying his best to lock his emotions, they overwhelm him still when just the thought of his fate creeps up into his mind._

_Sehun had never been so distraught to the point of vomiting onto barely used blankets, so emotionally drained that his body could barely get out of bed and away from his own mess. Disillusioned even more, when his only friend doesn't try to come to him at all. Silence hums into his ears and it's all that keeps him company._

_He falls heavily into sleep. And he sleeps through the clean up of his face, his sheets, through trembling fingers changing him into clean clothes and through Kyungsoo's tender caresses._

_Kyungsoo's parents try to take care of the hybrid while he tries to think of what to do next, but Sehun doesn't want them. They try their best at nursing the cat but he won't even eat more than a couple of bites before falling asleep for hours and hours on end._

_Kyungsoo does so well in hiding his own feelings around Jongin, who never suspected the older's turmoil._

_Why did he think leaving Sehun behind would have been more beneficial? Had he just wanted to go to college without the extra weight of his hybrid? Did he really have Sehun's interests at heart or had he assumed that the hybrid would have preferred to stay? He didn't bother asking at all. He wasn't oblivious to Sehun's reaction, but he never imagined it all backfiring so terribly._

_They were—are each other's best friend and it's late at night, lonely and cold in his bed even as the end of spring is just around the corner, when Kyungsoo can no longer stand the rift._

_It's been so long since he's seen his best friend, missing how Sehun would wrap him up with his long arms and legs, suffocating him with warmth. He hasn't turned on the fan once, like he's used to doing when Sehun would bury him in his own body heat._

_Kyungsoo knocks on the hybrid's door, a buzzing silence after the echo of his knuckles rapping against the hard wood rings in his ears. He lets himself into the dark room. There isn't any moonlight tonight, and Kyungsoo doesn't dare turn on the light overhead. It'd be too harsh, so he settles for turning on a small night light plugged into the wall closest to Sehun's bed._

_The hybrid's body tenses at the movement behind him, but when he takes notice of the scent carrying in the room, he subconsciously relaxes. Kyungsoo's natural scent always meant security, and Sehun feels as if his body is betraying him, his mind, his senses. Kyungsoo was on the other side of a precipice, and still, he'd probably follow him right over the edge._

_Sehun feels the bed dip beside him and a sturdy hand grip his shoulder. Kyungsoo coaxes him to turn around, pulling the cat boy's body closer until he has Sehun's head nestled in his lap. Sehun let's himself lean into the hand that cradles his jaw. The thumb rubbing against his skin is so familiar, feather-light and gentle, a dam starts cracking within Sehun.. Kyungsoo feels Sehun's lip start to quiver with how close his touch is._

_“I'm sorry.”_

_Sehun finally breaks. He cries, buries his face deeper into his best friend's body, nails digging into Kyungsoo. He doesn't cry out, doesn't pull away, just let's Sehun hold on as hard as he needs too. There's fabric tearing, but Kyungsoo doesn't pay it any mind, just keeps carding his fingers into Sehun's hair, keeps apologizing._

_Sehun falls asleep holding onto Kyungsoo. He let's Sehun rest._

_Kyungsoo finally wipes his damp face. He exhales a trembling breath, inhale just as stuttered. There's a relief taking residence in his mind, his body letting go of the weight he had thrust onto himself._

_He waits for Sehun to wake. They need to talk and Kyungsoo needs to take care of Sehun._

_Kyungsoo doesn't keep track of how much time has passed, just knows it has when the dawn encroaches upon them through the view of the window. His eyes burn with sleep, but he has to wait._

_Sehun wakes with saliva sticky on his tongue and his throat sore. He knows he's laying on Kyungsoo's lap, but doesn't dare say anything yet. Kyungsoo notices he's awake, and murmurs a tentative morning greeting. Sehun's lips feel chapped when he parts them to respond; he holds his tongue anyway._

_“I'm sorry I never asked you what you wanted in the first place. I should have known better. I_ do _know better but I think I pretended not to.”_

_There's a violent shaking against Kyungsoo's lap as Sehun stops Kyungsoo._

_“You don't have an obligation to me,” Sehun says, voice rough and pained. Kyungsoo attempts to shush him but Sehun moves to sit beside the other. Kyungsoo's never seen Sehun look so worn down aside from the day he met him and it causes the bile to rise inside him._

_“I overreacted, Soo...I thought, I thought we'd always be side by side. That's always been impossible.” Sehun is calm but Kyungsoo is on high alert, the stress bubbling up and threatening to spill out of him._

_“I won't tie you to me. You humans are allowed to be independent,” '_  but hybrids weren't made to' _. It's left unspoken, but it echos in Kyungsoo's mind as if Sehun had just spoken it._

_“Come with me, Sehun.” Sehun turns to Kyungsoo, a glimmer of hope in his eyes but he shakes his head fiercely._

_“It's not what you want.”_

_“It is.”_

_“Kyungsoo--”_

_“I need my best friend with me. I can't do this alone.”_

_Sehun searches Kyungsoo's features, but they're just as sure as the day the human decided to shelter him. As sure as the promises he had repeated for years; during the days when Sehun wouldn't leave his closet, during nights when Sehun would wake with his heart drumming noisily in his ears, during the times when his senses overrode his mind._

_“But, you're free to do as you want. You could leave me behind, live your life as if I never existed.”_

_“I can't leave you behind. I forgot my promise. I would never forget such a big part of my life. It's a big world out there, but it'll be a little bit smaller with you there. I won't do this alone.”_

_Kyungsoo takes Sehun's hand in his, intertwines their fingers, and Sehun let's out a breath he didn't know he was holding onto until he felt the warmth seep through the others palm._

_“Okay.”_

_Every night leading up to the day they'd be packed up to leave, they sleep together as if one ended with the other._

_\--_

_There are boxes piled into Kyungsoo's parents' car. Sehun hovers a step behind Kyungsoo the entire time, even on the two hour long drive, it seems like Sehun's disappearing into the back seat. Kyungsoo keeps a firm grip on the cat's hand as he chats with his parents._

_Sehun watches as the roads turn into long stretches of lonely asphalt as they drive out of town, and how bare fields fade into large swathes of buildings, too modern, alien. He's lived in the suburbs, large homes, bare homes, adoption centers here and there, but never so close to the city. It towers over them entirely, as if the buildings would suddenly collapse under their own weight. His hold on Kyungsoo tightens._

_“It's okay, Sehun. It's just a new place. We'll get used to it soon.”_

_Sehun nods. He consciously has to keep his eyes from shutting tight. He can hear Kyungsoo's mother coo at him and the other boy grin at the reaction. Sehun pinches Kyungsoo's side but he just chuckles._

_Sehun bites back a grin of his own._

_Before they know it, they arrive at a decent looking building. It's cosier than Sehun imagined, but still tall and imposing. Kyungsoo's dad starts unloading while Kyungsoo pulls him into the building. Sehun takes small steps._

_The elevator causes Sehun's body to lurch in an unfamiliar way, and he winds his arm around Kyungsoo's. There's another large grin on the shorter man's face but Sehun doesn't pinch him this time._

_When they finally make their way into the apartment, it looks less than empty with a couple boxes scattered in the living area._

_“Jongin must have gotten here before us,” Kyungsoo states and Sehun can feel his tail bristle. This person was the reason the strain in his friendship had happened. Why it had come to a breaking point. Why Sehun is even here in the first place._

_It wasn't there before, but the disdain in Sehun rose when he settled in the idea of a new person in his and Kyungsoo's life. He didn't mean to hate Jongin, but everything in his being screamed danger._

_'Don't let this person near.'_

_As they settle in, Kyungsoo's parents finally parting them with towers of boxes, Sehun's mind whirs on. The panic struck him as he didn't know how he was going to meet this stranger he already has preconceived notions about. Logically, he should create a smoother living situation for Kyungsoo, but his balled up hands shake with emotion._

_It was a sudden explosive energy that set things into motion, as Jongin noisily made his way into the apartment and into their lives._

_Sehun was met with such a friendly force, it had him physically want to punch Jongin in his big, stupid, blindingly smiling face. His fingers twitched when Jongin extended his hand towards the hybrid, treating him as an equal. Sehun wanted nothing to do with it, his mind had already misplaced his experiences onto this person._

_Thinking about how he treats Jongin from then on makes him feel a terrible ache because, in reality, Jongin is nothing if not friendly and inviting, wanting Sehun to be as much of their lives combined as possible. He doesn't know what had transpired between his best friend and himself and therefore, couldn't even be blamed for it._

_Sehun's not a bad person, but he can't help getting riled when he's faced with the intruder._

_Somewhere, however, Sehun didn't mind Jongin anymore. His voice carries around the apartment, deep giggling flooding Sehun's ears. His pouts chip away the feline's resolve a little more with each passing day. Jongin is bright, filling in the unfamiliar with his presence, his energy. His deep, soothing voice began to comfort Sehun when he slept near the window and the other was in the little kitchen talking with Kyungsoo over breakfast. The soft smiles had something flipping in Sehun's stomach, and it causes him to dream about plush lips forming pretty smile lines, and droopy, gentle eyes being pushed by round cheeks until they close from happiness._

_Jongin ended up filling in the spaces for Sehun, and Sehun would miss this new part of his life._

_Still, he felt ashamed and unable to see any redeeming of himself, so Sehun forced himself to keep up with his charade._

_Sehun had grown tired of it, especially since Jongin never stopped being kind. Even his tight smiles at Sehun's antics were followed by a light sigh and a shake of the shoulders. He didn't deserve anything that the hybrid met him with, but Sehun didn't deserve his gentle looks or bright smiles either. Jongin wants to know him, let him become a part of his life._

_Jongin got through anyway._

 

 

–

 

 

Sehun explains as Jongin lightly rocks them back and forth. He explains the mess that happened before they moved, how he couldn't help hating Jongin at first, and how he thought he needed to keep it up for his pride even when he didn't. Jongin stays silent as Sehun lets go of what's been clouding his mind, what he couldn't muster up the words to explain before.

 

“I thought you were finally tired of me,” Sehun confesses with a forced chuckle. “Tired and fed up. My head kept telling me I had made a terrible, terrible mistake in letting myself get close to you. I never deserved to anyway.”

 

Jongin's gut churns uncomfortably. He wants desperately to dissuade that thought from Sehun's mind and so he he braves himself to press a lingering kiss against the bare skin of Sehun's neck. The hybrid's breath hitches, a small, sharp intake of air that seems to resonate loudly in Jongin's ear. There's a movement under the blankets as Sehun's tail unfurls and finds it's way around Jongin's thigh.

 

“I could never get tired of you, Sehun. I never stopped thinking about you even on days I barely saw you. I like you. I like you after all this time. ” Before Sehun can process the confession, Jongin is already pressing another kiss onto the younger's jaw. As he pulls away, Sehun's heart flutters with emotion, overwhelming and deep. Heat and electricity courses through his viens.

 

There's a trail of chaste kisses from Sehun's jaw, down to his shoulder, and Sehun reaches a hand up to Jongin's chin. Sehun pulls Jongin's face up so he can look at him directly. He's met with a soft gaze, sincere and hopeful. Sehun looks at him one last time before closing his eyes and leaving a kiss on the corner of Jongin's mouth, an innocent, long press of his lips.

 

The intensity that courses through him is almost unbearable. He's never felt so fulfilled.

 

Sehun finally opens his eyes, and is met with the goofiest, brightest smile he's ever seen on Jongin's face. There's nothing but amazement and adoration in it and Sehun can feel the corners of his lips twitch into a grin of his own, shaky and just as ridiculous.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UH i rewrote this ch lmao but also i tried to finis this quickly bcuz!!!!!!!!!!! GUESS WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> https://twitter.com/milkhunn/status/959778260744851463 BOOM
> 
> I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW DARE U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IM SCREAMING BIH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> this is the first time this has happened n im sorry i didnt get to this earlier but uh thank u so much i love you with all my heart :(((!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> SO i hope u guys love it too!!!!!!!
> 
> anyways FUCKIN!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!! i mean its not over but uh the hurdle...........i jumped over it, just straight up leaped out of this building so i could ram past the finish line....
> 
> ty guys if ur still stickin around even tho updates have become erratic
> 
> (also i sorta not rly have a twitter thats bare but if i ever upload anything on it ill put it out there on some future ch i guess)


	9. Lots of kissing to make up for failed dinners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He makes the mistake of looking towards the source of the interruption and there stands Kyungsoo, eyes narrowed and accusing.
> 
> Jongin swallows thickly, audibly, and Kyungsoo almost breaks his facade to laugh at him.

 

Jongin's finals come in a rush, altogether but at the same time too spread out for him to properly relax for more than a couple of hours. It's the home stretch of his semester before he tackles the start of some sparse winter courses, meaning he still has to spend a bit of time studying and turning in last minute work. In that time, Sehun snatches away Kyungsoo's phone to make sure Jongin's within reach.

 

How he can be even more simplistic with his texting style than the usually to-the-point Kyungsoo is beyond Jongin. Yet, it still manages to have him want to roll around shamelessly at the string of emojis and one worded greetings the hybrid sends him. They don't really make sense sometimes but Jongin cherishes them anyway. Chanyeol is happy for him, though he whines at Jongin to not brag about his honey-moon phase. He honestly feels Jongin's face will permanently stay split wide with a smile etched on it.

 

“Some of us don't have a wife to get back to, Jongin! I'll seriously push you into the pins next time.” Jongin doesn't respond to Chanyeol's threats as he smiles dumbly at the text Sehun has sent him.

 

Jongin can't wait to get home.

 

When he gets back, safe from cold, biting winds, Kyungsoo greets him sleepily from the couch and Jongin's favorite person perks up. Sehun clambers off of the shorter boy and bounds towards the kitchen, pulling food out of the stove and setting it down for both he and Jongin.

 

Jongin really does feel like he's coming home to someone, to warmth and care. He doesn't want to overthink his and Sehun's growing relationship or force it forwards, but he's not enough of an idiot to not notice the way Sehun sticks closer like it's always been second nature, or how his cheeks have a faint blush on them. Jongin lets the hybrid nip at his fingers when he begs for his food despite his own full plate. Jongin doesn't point out how Sehun's tail “sneakily” curls around his leg, his waist. Jongin basks in Sehun's curious skinship.

 

At night, they play together, play the same game they never manage to finish before they're pulling up a movie instead. And at night, Jongin ends up with a lap-full of cat, purrs rumbling against him as Sehun lays comfortably between his legs as if he's always belonged there. Jongin's fingers play with the cat's ears, with the soft locks that seem to need a trim, and Sehun whines when his human pillow needs to get up for a bit. Either because Jongin's bladder finally gets the best of him or because he can no longer feel his legs.

 

They talk about this thing, that thing, _the neighbors really suck like what are they so loud for, I think I know every word of every Pawn Stars episode ever, I don't think I can study anymore without wanting to rip out my hair, there's this one coworker at the bowling alley that has a permanent stick up his ass_...

 

But they leave out Sehun's confession, a verbal affirmation for Jongin.

 

Jongin has waited for Sehun this long, waited for his small, genuine smiles that create crescent shaped eyes, waited to drown in the natural, clean scent of the hybrid. Waited for the day where he could finally wrap him up in his arms to keep him close, secure. He'll never try to coerce the person of his affections for something he doesn't really have to have if he still gets to kiss the hybrid, although only in a way where they test the waters together. Sehun's actions are enough to let him know.

 

The downward spiral of the History channel and terrible cafeteria coffee fills in the gaps with ease.

 

–

 

It's another morning with Jongin ready to head out for his last final of the semester and Sehun sneakily leaving a peck on the corner of his lips (Kyungsoo purposely turns around to fix something up so Sehun could gather his courage). “It's for good luck,” Sehun claims with red cheeks, recalling Jongin telling him about his last, huge test. Jongin smiles warmly, almost dazed and presses another kiss on the hybrid's temple.

 

“Thank you,” Jongin says softly. Sehun thinks he heard Kyungsoo gag somewhere behind him but he doesn't care, he has stars in his eyes and endless, bubbly feelings for the man reaching, hesitantly, for the front door.

 

And Jongin doesn't want to leave, but taking along a kiss from Sehun is enough motivation to come back for more, when they'll have each other for the rest of the night.

 

When Jongin comes back from working at the bowling alley after sweating through his final, tossing his work shirt somewhere by the front door and reaching in his bag for his initial attire, Sehun already has dinner spread out for him. It's not as picturesque as it usually is and the hybrid is fixing the plates so Jongin can't see the singed edges of some sort of roasted diced potato dish and overly gray in appearance strips of beef arranged atop some questionably soaked greens.

 

Sehun's fiddles with his tail, grooming it anxiously and holding it close to his body. He's looking at anything but Jongin, and Jongin walks up to him to cradle his jaw with a careful hand. Sehun looks up at him with glassy eyes, embarrassed. Jongin bites his bottom lip to stop from cooing at the adorable sight.

 

“I tried to make dinner this time. Kyungsoo helped a bit but, uhm, well, you don't have to eat it,” Sehun's eyes look into Jongin's. The hybrid tries to school his face into that of indifference, but it's clear he's devastated that he's not as gifted as Kyungsoo in the kitchen. He couldn't make dinner look even half-way decent and frustration washes over him in waves Maybe he can convince Kyungsoo to make something real quick.

 

Jongin's chest feels full, full of things he can't yet describe, maybe of things he'll never really know past the constant flood of feelings through his body. He sees so much with just Sehun's eyes peering into his own, and there's a yearning that ebbs away the closer he is with the other.

 

“I'm so happy, Sehun.” Jongin whispers just for Sehun to hear, foreheads pressed against each other and just the both of them soaking in the comfortable silence. Jongin pulls out two chairs side by side and holds Sehun's hand to guide him to sit with him. “Let's eat,” Jongin insists, and Sehun fidgets as he holds a utensil in a balled up fist. He's watching Jongin carefully, awaiting his reaction with bated breath. Jongin digs in without any preamble, and honestly, it's not terrible tasting, it's edible, but he's so whipped for Sehun, he could place a pile of dirt onto a plate and Jongin would be eternally grateful.

 

“It's good,” Jongin's praise comes out muffled by a spoonful of food and Sehun wants to burst with joy. He smiles at the other eating happily, sharp canines on full display and he mirrors Jongin's happiness. Jongin has to take a swig from the drink set beside his plate or else he would have choked from being caught off guard by the literal sunshine of Sehun's smile.

 

The hybrid, finally encouraged to eat the questionable dinner, discards the fork and tears the beef apart with his fingers. When he takes a bite, there's an awful shudder that makes his blood run cold; the beef is horribly bland, chewy, and Jongin's eating it as if it were comparable to Kyungsoo's cooking. Maybe, he thinks in delusion, the potatoes are alright, but when he tastes them hesitantly, they're over-salted and not cooked through as he had thought. The sauce on the greens is an awful mixture of greasy textures and acidic taste. Sehun's gut twists nauseously in bitter embarrassment.

 

“Jongin, i-it's no good! Don't eat it!” Sehun panics as Jongin continues to shovel food into his mouth. He reaches desperately over to Jongin's plate to get it away from him but Jongin's faster, pulling the half eaten plate away.

 

“I told you it's good,” Jongin tries talking around a mouthful of food, holding his plate protectively away from Sehun's grasp.

 

“But it's terrible--”

 

Jongin dives in suddenly and kisses Sehun's mouth sloppily, cheeks bulging with food still and the hybrid's eyes widen, body rigid from the romantic gesture. They've kissed a dozen times already; kissed every time the silence settles in, kissed in the dark, kissed with hesitant lips, but this kiss, Jongin kisses with anything but finesse or reservation.

 

He pulls back and swallows the rest of the food in his mouth before stealing another kiss from a stunned Sehun. Jongin tilts his head, nibbles at Sehun's bottom lip and the slide of their mouths has Sehun's eyes fluttering close. It's like Sehun's bathing in sunlight and the warmth spreads out from his chest to the ends of his limbs.

 

Jongin pulls back after what feels like an eternity, eyes lidded and mouth splitting wide with a content grin as the hybrid's eyes open slowly, mesmerized. Sehun looks undeniably beautiful with his rosy, spit slicked lips parted and inhaling shakily. He's appeased and quiet just from a kiss, Sehun's cat ears are lax, and his tail waves slowly behind him. Jongin wants to keep kissing Sehun, show him different types of kissing, kissing that'll spark heat in him, kisses that'll have him panting and gasping for air only to desperately want more. Jongin takes in a deep breath of his own to calm down; those are things for down the road, for when Sehun decides it's okay.

 

As Sehun's clouded mind clears, he searches Jongin's face, looks for disgust or regret. Sehun's heart lodges in his throat and skips a beat when he only sees a gentle expression on the other. His tongue darts out and Sehun's able to taste the salt of his failed dinner.

 

Sehun's placated for the moment, but his lips are drawn into a straight line as he looks at his plate with hardly touched food. Jongin continues eating until the food is gone, and Sehun's nose wrinkles in disgust. Jongin either has the strongest willpower the hybrid's ever known, or he literally killed off his taste buds with the amount of sugar Jongin's subjected his body to since Sehun can remember. Sehun sighs, ready to clean up the plates when Jongin stands and pushes Sehun to sit back down.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“You made us dinner, it's only fair I clean up,” Jongin says matter-of-factly as he starts gathering the cups and plates, making sure to put Sehun's leftovers away.

 

“No, Jongin. You can just throw that away,” Sehun says, looking close to stomping his feet in his true, stubborn nature. He just can't accept that Jongin's willing to put the leftovers away, as if anyone would dare to eat them later on.

 

“It's perfectly good food, Sehun.”

 

“Jongin--”

 

Before Sehun can argue any further, Jongin pauses as he grabs the sponges and dish soap to give Sehun a pointed look. The cat falls silent and slumps back into the seat, resigning to Jongin's poor taste.

 

Well, when Sehun thinks about it a little more, drowning out the clatter of Jongin fumbling with pots and pans thrown in piles in the sink, he pinks at the fact that Jongin willingly subjected himself to the dinner for him.

 

Sehun looks back towards Jongin, swiveling in his chair. Jongin's back looks wide, comfortable. His shoulders are definitely one of the best spots for Sehun to rest his head and, looking at the nape of Jongin's neck, Sehun gets an itch.

 

So he makes his way over to Jongin, pushing his head between the shoulder blades of the busy man. A deep chuckle rumbles against Sehun and it vibrates deeply inside him. Every sound Jongin makes is something Sehun replays when he's left alone in the apartment, or when he misses the other despite not being more than a few hours apart anymore. Jongin smells enticing and Sehun noses the bronze skin.

 

Jongin's shoulders tense because Sehun's warm breath licks the sensitive skin, spreads down his spine in waves and goose bumps rise on his arms. He wills himself to relax as Sehun bumps his nose on the fine hairs. It's a new form of exploration from Sehun, the indulgent gulps of air, the soft skin of his cheeks rubbing against Jongin, and the object of curiosity refrains from moving in a way that may have Sehun thinking he's uncomfortable.

 

Sehun can smell the slight salt of Jongin's natural scent, and, with holding back as little as Jongin had when he kissed Sehun moments ago, the hybrid darts out his tongue and the tip slides to gather up the day's sweat that's cooled off on the other. Jongin shivers and the dish in his hand slips back clumsily into the soapy water. He's splashed with water and droplets manage to wet the front of his shirt but Jongin's unwilling to even take in the deep breath his lungs scream for. The sound of the splash is tuned out by Sehun, who becomes emboldened and takes the soft flesh in between his teeth, licks and nips because Jongin tastes nice on his tongue.

 

Sehun's so close to Jongin now, he can feel the way Jongin takes in a sharp breath and Jongin can feel the start of a soft purr against his back. It resonates in his ears and Jongin bites his bottom lip when Sehun sinks in his teeth a little harder, flattens his tongue and drags it. A stray thought runs briefly in Jongin's head, glad at the fact that Sehun's tongue is soft, not rough at all as he had imagined long ago. Sehun presses the palms of his hand onto Jongin's shoulders, slides them up to his neck and Jongin's flushing with heat.

 

The hybrid can't help lapping up the addictive taste. Jongin screws his eyes shut, fully concentrating on the saliva cooling down where Sehun leaves a trail of spit, pink marks, and careful bites. Heat pools in his gut, dull electricity stirs up in Jongin's body and his hands grip the edge of the sink until his knuckles pale. Sehun bites into the junction of Jongin's neck and shoulder, and the loud groan the other emits has Sehun flicker with a burgeoning feeling he's never fully experienced before.

 

Sehun snaps out of his haze as if he were suddenly splashed with ice water. Sehun looks at Jongin's back incredulously, but something else in him feels satiated momentarily. Pride swells in him—the flush of Jongin's ears and how vibrant the trail of light bruises and almost perfect imprints of his canines on the pretty neck looks possessive.

 

It's quiet for a moment, and Jongin's gone worryingly still. Sehun steps away from Jongin, weary of his reaction to his impulsive behavior. He wants to apologize, say something, but he doesn't know how to even begin explaining himself. He doesn't understand what possessed him to savor Jongin's skin like that, sink his teeth in as if purely on instinct, and doesn't fully understand why he wants Jongin to do the same to him.

 

Sehun just waits, the anxiety building up and the sweat that breaks out onto his skin isn't due to anything else but panic.

 

Jongin starts moving, putting the dishes away and then watching as the water disappears down the drain. He takes a hand towel off a rack and dries up his pruney hands and slightly damp arms. Jongin is thinking, processing what just happened. It was too much, but at the same time, he wanted so much more, his need for Sehun desired more. His face is aflame, the sensation of Sehun's tongue still lingered, the smooth texture of it, the sharpened tips of perfect teeth, petal soft lips brushing the nape of his neck--

 

Jongin's brows pinch, almost pained, as he begs his body to stop it's thrumming demands.

 

He turns around to look at Sehun, and Sehun wants to cower a bit under the intensity—Jongin's pupils are blown, eyes dark and boring into his skin.

 

Sehun licks his lips, a quick swipe of his bottom lip before Jongin pulls the hybrid close and crashes his mouth onto his. Jongin claims like it's his only source of oxygen. Sehun whimpers into Jongin's desperation, his hands holding the front of the other's shirt and his body floods with the heat that's quickly becoming familiar. The slide of their mouths leads to Sehun gasping from the sensation, and Jongin licks into his mouth. Sehun tastes sweet, fully coating Jongin's tongue and he can't get enough.

 

Jongin invades Sehun's senses thoroughly and Sehun's knees buckle from the unfamiliar intimacy as it sends heated waves through him. He's being held up by Jongin's arms and Sehun pushes closer despite his failing body. Sehun's tail moves erratically behind them, occasionally whacking the counters but he doesn't register the slight, dull pain. Sehun tries imitating what Jongin does, the movement of his mouth, the glide, the push of their tongues, and he must be doing something right because Jongin muffles a groan in between their mouths. Sehun barely suppresses a sound of his own as Jongin's groans shoot down to settle and pulse between his thighs.

 

There's a loud, exaggerated clearing of a throat and Jongin jumps away, wide eyed. Sehun tries to chase after Jongin and Jongin wants to whine. Sehun's eyes are glazed over, lips swollen and glossy. The blush on his cheeks match the reddened shade of Sehun's lips, and the blush disappears under the collar of the hybrid's shirt. The pretty shade seems to accentuate the light dust of freckles on the hybrid's skin. Jongin's brain warns him from looking too much at temptation, but he wants to keep kissing Sehun, keep him breathless and riled. He makes the mistake of looking towards the source of the interruption and there stands Kyungsoo, eyes narrowed and accusing.

 

Jongin swallows thickly, audibly, and Kyungsoo almost breaks his facade to laugh at him.

 

Kyungsoo, though shorter than both boys, seems to loom where he stands in the middle of the kitchen. He looks down at Jongin's hands, which are dangerously close to slipping under the hybrid's shirt and frowns deeper. Jongin pulls his hands back as if he was just scalded and tries to prove his innocence, mouth opening and closing rapidly and looking for any excuse he can muster. His brain isn't working (partially Sehun's fault, but who's really to blame?).

 

Sehun finally looks around towards Kyungsoo, and the shorter man's glare softens; he could never be angry or stern for too long, at least not at Sehun. However, Sehun can't hide his scowl, pouting at being taken away from Jongin's wonderful ministrations.

 

“Something you needed?” Sehun spits at Kyungsoo, but Kyungsoo snorts at him.

 

“Yeah, I need to talk to you,” Kyungsoo says simply, eyeing both men still just inches away from each other.

 

Sehun's cat ears perk and swivel, weighing his options. He's torn, it's clear to both Jongin and Kyungsoo, as Sehun looks between them.

 

Kyungsoo, his best friend or his...boyfriend? Maybe not yet boyfriend?

 

Kyungsoo feels a little jealous that Sehun isn't immediately bounding towards him like before but Sehun is disgustingly smitten with his friend and his friend is (usually anyway, disregarding their 'indecent' actions in his kitchen) harmless.

 

“It's important, Hun,” Kyungsoo adds softly to disarm any negative implications the words might carry. Sehun looks back at Jongin once more, who gives him a soft smile and a nod, before Sehun's shoulders slump and he mutters, 'fine'.

 

Sehun motions Kyungsoo to turn around, not embarrassed to have been caught but still feeling weird about having Kyungsoo watch him kiss Jongin. Kyungsoo rolls his eyes and tells Sehun he'll head to his bedroom first.

 

“Don't suck each other's faces off,” Kyungsoo exclaims as he walks off and Sehun whines behind him, aghast at Kyungsoo's bluntness.

 

Sehun looks back at Jongin, pouting, because he wants to kiss Jongin just like they were a few moments ago, but he's nervous because he felt like if they continued, something more would happen and he wasn't sure what, or if he should venture further. So he settles for kissing Jongin with simple presses of their mouths, minute puckering of their lips and noisy, cheesy, 'muahs' from Jongin that has Sehun giggling.

 

It's hard, to not 'suck each other's faces off' but Sehun leaves after giving each corner of Jongin's lips a final kiss.

 

Jongin watches Sehun walk away with hurried, quiet footsteps.

 

He's happy, maybe even a little bit really in love.

 

He's brought back to earth when he hears loud cursing and hissing coming from Kyungsoo's room, followed by squeals of laughter and pleads for mercy—all from Sehun.

 

Jongin only misses Sehun a little when he closes the door to his own room behind him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhm bih idk this is so messy and like, this is all i could do in the time i didn't upload??? like, really?????????? 
> 
> well i goddamn guess!!!
> 
> i am sorry but uh, i hope kisses are okay, /obviously/ ive never written people kissing before lmaoooo 
> 
> please forgive me
> 
> anyway im back 
> 
> now im gone again
> 
> (mostly because im embarrassed :)))!!!!)
> 
> ill come back to chansoo soon
> 
> maybe next ch
> 
> but when is the elusive next chapter??? 
> 
> (: hm


	10. Days pass but I'm not convinced I'm going anywhere good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m going back to bed. Good night, Hun.” With a final glide of his fingers in Sehun’s hair, Jongin turns away and goes back into his room, leaving the door open just a sliver as a clear invitation for the hybrid, but Sehun is aching, aching so much worse everywhere and he doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to follow Jongin into bed.
> 
> Sehun runs into the bathroom and locks himself in.

Sehun is beyond annoyed. Jongin had been doing wonderful things to him, kissed Sehun in ways that had his body heating up dangerously, peaking towards an edge Sehun never had the desire to explore before and then--

 

Kyungsoo’s owl eyes watched as Sehun hurled petulant insults at him. He remained unperturbed, waiting out Sehun’s tantrum.

 

“How could you do this, Soo??” Sehun wailed at Kyungsoo, who’s expression turned to amusement at the way Sehun’s fists came down weakly onto his chest. “I’ll never forgive you!”

 

And then Sehun was jumping away as a finger poked him in the ribs. Sehun covered the spot as if protecting a grave wound. He became quiet, mouth parting in surprise as he watched Kyungsoo’s finger stay in the same position it was when he poked him.

 

“Kyungsoo, don’t,” Sehun warns as best as he can but takes a careful step back. Kyungsoo, his beloved best friend, raises his arms slowly, and Sehun’s arms wrap around himself to protect his body on instinct when the older boy’s fingers curve into the shape of claws. “S-soo--”

 

Like lightning, Kyungsoo charges at Sehun and the catboy actually squacks, jumping onto the bed and putting his arms out to distance himself from Kyungsoo. Suddenly, Sehun feels his entire world spin—because it actually is. Kyungsoo grabs Sehun’s ankles and pulls them and the hybrid loses balance. Sehun feels the air knocked out of him as he falls flat on his back on the bed and Kyungsoo sits himself on his stomach.

 

“Kyungsoo--!!” Sehun is then attacked by short, nail bitten fingers tickling and poking his sides, his armpits, and he’s squealing. He’s laughing, high pitched sounds bordering on full on screams and he tries his best to push Kyungsoo off, to tickle him back. The shorter man steels himself into what Sehun briefly compares to a robot, the cat’s attack doing nothing to Kyungsoo but Kyungsoo, an expert on punishing a misbehaving child, knows exactly where Sehun’s most ticklish.

 

“Say you’ll forgive me!”

 

“N-NEVER— _AAAAH_ ,” Sehun thrashes, tears threaten to spill from the corners of his eyes and his laughter turns to wheezing. Even as Sehun’s long limbs flail and his tail wags uncontrollably, Kyungsoo stays perched on top of Sehun, caging him in until he gives in.

 

Kyungsoo gives Sehun a break, a guarded reprieve, and the hybrid gulps down breath after indulgent, sweet breath. Sehun goes limp, unwilling to put up a fight anymore. He wasn’t that mad in the first place, anyway.

 

“Sehunnie, do you forgive me?” Kyungsoo asks in a childish voice, waiting for Sehun to fully give up. The hybrid purses his lips and Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. He brings up his hands to challenge Sehun once again and Sehun deflates, cat ears flat against his hair.

 

Sehun nods to signify his loss, panting still and red faced from exertion. He feels a light sheen of sweat across his forehead. Kyungsoo is absolutely ruthless. Satisfied, Kyungsoo flops down besides Sehun and Sehun feels relieved that the weight is gone.

 

They stay quiet for a moment as the slight stifle Sehun felt from the lack of oxygen fades into the air. Kyungsoo stays quiet, as he does when he knows Sehun and he need to talk about something. Sehun closes his eyes, relishes the silence because it gives him the opportunity to wonder if he can still feel Jongin on his lips. He’s disappointed he can’t. Sehun feels a strong desire to crawl back into Jongin’s arms, stay locked in his embrace, and kiss him. He wants to make Jongin as breathless as he felt, wants to kiss him everywhere and be kissed in the same way—there is that stray sensation between Sehun’s thighs again, settling there in small, dull waves. Sehun decides he likes the electric feeling, wonders if Jongin feels like this, too.

 

Sehun’s heart flutters and the hybrid feels slightly ashamed. He wills the feeling to dissipate—Kyungsoo is right beside him and he’s unwilling to have any sort of conversation about it with him. The thought is mortifying even though Sehun wants to know how to identify it clearly. Instead, Sehun settles for what he does know, about himself, about Jongin.

 

“I really like Jongin,” Sehun said and the statement is immediately followed by a hardly stifled laugh. He turns his head to face Kyungsoo, but Kyungsoo is looking up at the ceiling, contemplative.

 

“That much is clear,” Kyungsoo retorts and honestly, this feels familiar, when Sehun didn’t have an answer to the way he felt about Jongin. They had left that conversation until Sehun could, with certainty, understand what he felt.

 

“He says he likes me, too. That he’s liked me even when I was a total ass to him,” Sehun says and, surprisingly, he sighs dreamily. He’s love struck and Kyungsoo stops himself from cringing.

 

“Jongin either loves you or he’s completely broken by you,” Kyungsoo says simply, but Sehun tenses. Something blooms in his heart, makes butterflies flutter in his stomach at the thought of Jongin _loving_ him.

 

“L...L-loves me?” Sehun questions nervously and his tail thumps wildly against the mattress. Kyungsoo laughs at his silly friend and the quick flush on the cat’s cheeks.

 

“Relax Sehun, I was joking.”

 

“He doesn’t!?” Sehun sits up suddenly and turns to face Kyungsoo and Kyungsoo wants to slap himself because the hybrid had looked so elated and now that expression morphs into devastation. His eyes threaten to gloss over with tears and Kyungsoo doesn’t know what to say.

 

“Uh, I mean—I don’t know. Look, as far as I can tell, he likes you, like, a lot.” Kyungsoo tries mending and Sehun’s shoulders relax a bit. “Just, take it easy, Sehun. Why rush these things?” Kyungsoo relaxes into the bed and closes his eyes. He hopes the atmosphere goes back to being playful, painted in shades of pink from Sehun’s infatuation.

 

“Mm,” Sehun hums, and settles back on the mattress. The tension starts ebbing away, but it’s not fast enough for Kyungsoo. He still feels slightly uncomfortable, so he breaks the silence.

 

“What’s it like?”

 

“What’s what like?”

 

“Kissing Jongin,” and Sehun feels a prickle under his skin from the question.

 

“You can’t kiss Jongin,” Sehun says, voice monotone yet dangerous. Kyungsoo is slightly stunned and he proceeds to choke on his spit. Then, Kyungsoo howls with laughter, bringing his legs up and turning onto his side to clutch at his cramping stomach. Tears are definitely streaming down his cheeks from laughing so hard at Sehun’s misinterpretation.

 

“What the hell are you laughing at,” Sehun spits out with narrowed eyes. Kyungsoo tries his best to compose himself by taking deep breathes and, looking at the hybrid with the full force of his large, round eyes, says, “I don’t wanna kiss Jongin!”

 

Sehun feels an abrupt hot flash of shame overcome him, and so he asks defensively, “T-then what did you mean?”

 

“I just, I wanted to know how it felt. To kiss someone,” Kyungsoo confesses, in a much more meek voice then Sehun is used to. Sehun feels embarrassment from jumping to conclusions but also an endearment for his small friend.

 

“Haven’t you ever kissed anyone..?” the hybrid asks curiously and Kyungsoo’s the one to blush.

 

“When would I?” The older tries to say dismissively, but he wavers.

 

“Besides, you’re only slightly younger than me and you’ve just started kissing,” Kyungsoo defends and Sehun tilts his head.

 

“But what about Chanyeol?”

 

Kyungsoo feels light headed from how fast the rush of blood to his face is, the tips of his ears burn an intensely bright red and his eyes shoot up the widest they could possibly be. Sehun rolls his eyes.

 

“What? I’m not dumb, Soo,” the hybrid says and Kyungsoo’s mouth opens and closes repeatedly from the lack of appropriate words, much like Jongin’s had when he was caught kissing Sehun.

 

“W-we’re, there’s nothing--,” and Kyungsoo sputters nervously.

 

A light bulb goes off for Sehun and he pales as he feels a sinking in the pit of his gut.

 

“I thought you two were, I don’t know, trying to date in secret or something. Then again, I’ve only seen him come over a couple of times.” The hybrid genuinely looks confused. Kyungsoo cowers further under the watchful curiosity, feeling caught off guard.

 

“Weren’t we talking about you?” Kyungsoo tries to steer the conversation away from himself not so subtly but Sehun isn’t having it.

 

“We always talk about me, Soo. You’re my best friend, shouldn’t you tell me what’s going on, too?”

 

Sehun had a point, but Kyungsoo wasn’t good at talking about himself. And so, Kyungsoo simply confesses without any abstract second-guessing.

 

“I like him. That’s it.”

 

The hybrid looks at his friend with sympathy and Kyungsoo doesn’t want to look at the pity etched on Sehun’s face.

 

“I don’t see him very often, he’s annoying and loud, but I like him anyway,” Kyungsoo huffs and Sehun giggles.

 

“So tell me, what’s it like...to kiss someone you like.” Kyungsoo whispers timidly, fingers picking at nonexistent lint on his sleeves and Sehun relents. Kyungsoo confessed his feelings, at least out loud, and Sehun only prays that the universe heard his quiet yearning. Sehun hums and tries to put into words something that is entirely a _feeling—_ Something he can hardly put a single concept to.

 

“I don’t know how to explain it,” Sehun starts honestly. “It feels good and warm and fuzzy and kinda weird, all at the same time. It felt like so much but also like I couldn’t get close enough, I couldn’t kiss Jongin enough,” Sehun closes his eyes, thinks about Jongin’s smooth skin and plush lips, the curl of his tongue and how they pressed so close together, Sehun briefly muses if it is possible to mold into one.

 

Kyungsoo stayed quiet, a bit awe struck but he couldn’t get past how cheesy Sehun merely kissing Jongin made him.

 

“Okay, okay, I get it,” Kyungsoo tries to dismiss but Sehun once again turns to look at him, expression soft and wistful.

 

“You don’t, Soo. I feel like—like each time we kiss, it’s different.” Sehun feels a tight pull in his chest at being unable to bear such strong feelings and Kyungsoo desperately wishes he could understand such an experience. They remain quiet, a sobering pushing through both boys. Kyungsoo decides to pull the blanket out from under them, and Sehun doesn’t even protest, basking in the surge of emotions. Kyungsoo pulls his friend close, temporarily alleviating his crave for affection and Sehun snuggles the shorter with a slight ache in his chest with a desire to know exactly what Jongin feels when they kiss.

 

The quiet remains for a few more minutes as Kyungsoo and Sehun relax in each other’s comfort.

 

“Jongin ate the dinner I made him,” Sehun relates to Kyungsoo to get the buzzing silence to quiet down for a moment and Kyungsoo scrunches up his nose in disgust.

 

“What did he say?” the older boy asks in morbid curiosity.

 

“He liked it,” Sehun mumbles.

 

“Oh man, what am I going to say to Jongin’s parents,” Kyungsoo laments dramatically.

 

“What do you mean by that??” Sehun jabs an accusatory finger into Kyungsoo’s ribs, and Sehun pouts as it doesn’t cause the desired reaction, or any reaction at all.

 

“Well, Jongin is definitely willing to die for you.” Sehun sputters and he proceeds to jab all of his fingers into Kyungsoo’s ribs. He smirks when Kyungsoo finally yelps in pain.

 

“I made Jongin dinner, isn’t it fair that you invite Chanyeol over and make _him_ dinner?” The hybrid teases him but Kyungsoo fixes Sehun with a blank look.

 

“I already have.” Kyungsoo reminds Sehun but the hybrid looks straight into the other’s eyes just to narrow his own at him.

 

“That was a million years ago, Soo.”

 

Kyungsoo doesn’t retort, because he did invite Chanyeol over for dinner months ago and his non-implicit non-flirting flirting had done nothing. Sehun, annoyed by his best friend, lays his long, broad body over Kyungsoo with a heavy fall and Kyungsoo regrets not turning on a fan before bundling up and getting too comfortable to move out from under the heavy hybrid. Sehun sighs.

 

“Come on, Soo. There’s nothing to lose. I just want you to be happy.” Sehun explains gently. He sounds startlingly genuine. Sehun honestly wants Kyungsoo to have something he could treasure selfishly. If it weren’t for Kyungsoo, Sehun would have never met Jongin, never come close to loving another being, have a home, a best friend—everything he had wanted when he was confined to tiny, metal cages and inattentive strangers. Kyungsoo deserves happiness since he gave Sehun’s his from day one.

 

“Sehun--”

 

“I mean it, Kyungsoo.”

 

Kyungsoo lets out a heavy exhale because the worst that can happen is rejection, but he could finally put certain things behind him. The best that can happen--

 

“Shut up and go to sleep, Sehun.”

 

 

–

 

 

Sehun had awakened with an itch burning inside of him and a light layer of sweat slicking his skin. He felt uncomfortable under the sheets. It was strange; Sehun could put layer upon layer of blankets and clothes on and not break a sweat, but now a suffocating feeling was over taking him. He found himself hanging at the edge of the bed instead of curling around Kyungsoo like usual. Sehun looks towards his friend, who looks as fresh as can be, meanwhile there’s an incessant feeling pooling in his gut in waves.

 

He sighs a shaky, heavy breath and pushes the blankets off. Sehun feels disgusting, the need to clean the clammy feeling away taking precedence despite wanting to stay tucked in bed. Careful not to wake Kyungsoo, Sehun makes his way out of the room. He tries making it to the bathroom, but halts when he sees that Jongin’s still awake, or at least coincidentally so as he’s coming back from somewhere in the living room. He looks disheveled, bed hair wild and comical and his eyes closed despite walking around.

 

“Jongin?”

 

The boy in question turns to Sehun with a slow blink of his eyes, barely getting them to open, but when he recognizes the cat boy, a soft smile pushes onto his face pleasantly.

 

“Hey, Sehunnie, can’t sleep?” Jongin asks in a deep and gravelly, sleep laden voice and Sehun feels the coil in his stomach intensify from it. He actively controls his breathing because he’s so close to panting without having even been kissed breathless. Sehun shifts nervously but Jongin doesn’t see anything amiss in his half-awake state.

 

“No, I just….need to pee?” Sehun immediately regrets saying that and his cat ears flatten, but Jongin _ah’s_ in understanding when Sehun himself doesn’t actually _know_ why he’s awake. Sehun’s desires cool off a bit when Jongin makes his way towards him and, with a gentle hand on the nape of the hybrid’s neck, brings him in for a peck on the lips.

 

Sehun feels himself smile, can feel the soft swell in his chest. The warmth emanating from Jongin in vibrant radiance is palpable on Sehun's being. The cat brushes his nose against Jongin’s cheek and makes him giggle that nice, rich laugh Sehun loves. Sehun continues to kiss Jongin but Jongin ends up yawning into Sehun’s mouth and the hybrid recoils from the human’s breath. Jongin laughs again and leans heavily on Sehun from his body trying to imitate a sack of useless rocks. Sehun leans into Jongin's hand softly caressing his cheek--Sehun gulps down his burdensome desires.

 

“I’m going back to bed. Good night, Hun.” With a final glide of his fingers in Sehun’s hair, Jongin turns away and goes back into his room, leaving the door open just a sliver as a clear invitation for the hybrid, but Sehun is aching, aching so much worse everywhere and he doesn’t know if it’s a good idea to follow Jongin into bed.

 

Sehun runs into the bathroom and locks himself in.

 

His body thrums to the point of feeling consumed and he feels persistent, dull twinges coming from his crotch. When Sehun finally takes a good look at himself, he gasps softly at the state he’s in. His sweats tent implicitly, accusingly, and Sehun is a bit afraid and in awe of what’s happening to him. With tentative fingers, Sehun splays the tips onto the outline and traces it. He whimpers from the shocking sensation that suddenly shoots heated waves of arousal up his spine. His muscles tense and his parted legs close despite his tail getting caught in between. Sehun calms down before continuing to dance his fingers on the sensitive organ.

 

Sehun grips the bulge properly and just the simple action has his thighs spasming from the pent up energy and unknown frustrations. There’s a knot in Sehun’s stomach, unfamiliar and intense, but Sehun continues to amplify the hot sensation. Sehun quickly becomes overwhelmed, a suffocation creeping over him as his blood rushes heatedly inside of him.

 

With more confidence and a trembling sigh, Sehun lowers his palm over the bulge and presses harder on it. It’s a new feeling and Sehun is chasing an elusive. Grinding his hips into his hand, he palms his cock over his pants harder, the heel of his hand pushing faster against the strain and Sehun’s legs threaten to buckle under him.

 

To keep his body upright, Sehun leans his torso against the ceramic of the bathroom sink and his tail naturally curls up into the air and to the side, out of the way for _something_. Sehun licks his lips and it’s all too strange, the way he reacts on instinct, as if his body knows exactly what to do. With a few more digs of his heel, Sehun finally delves inside his pants and his hips buck from how different it feels compared to fondling himself over fabric.

 

Slowly, he closes his fist over his cock, dragging along the foreskin and his throat constricts painfully before a long, lewd mewl spills from his lips. Sehun slaps his hand over his mouth to uselessly swallow down the sound that’s already escaped him, his cheeks aflame with both embarrassment and arousal. Everything seems so loud as his human ears ring. His own panting is too sharp and Sehun looks over to the door to make doubly sure he locked it.

 

Turning on the sink and stuffing the collar of his sweater into his mouth just in case, Sehun shivers at the direct contact of the cold ceramic on his burning body. He pulls down his pants mid thigh and Sehun continues to stroke himself faster as he’s completely overtaken with desperation. It doesn’t register that the glide along his cock gets slicker with how much pre-come he’s oozing because the slight burn of his quick, tight hold on himself is alleviated and all he feels is pure pleasure he's almost too afraid to chase.

 

The cat boy’s other hand slips to grasp at the meat of the inside of his thighs and Sehun groans into the fabric of his sweater when he brushes against his balls. His back arches and his body spasms when he ventures further between his legs, gripping his balls and pulling, kneading between his fingers and palm. Sehun feels so good, he sobs at the tight feeling in his gut getting even more intense and heavy. The shocks to his body causes everything to feel dizzying and airy.

 

Still, Sehun’s worry at being caught in such a manner lingers in his mind. Then, he feels his toes curl as he muffles whimpers into his sweater when he imagines Jongin walking in, walking over to him, blanketing himself over Sehun’s body as his tail curves away to accommodate. Jongin grinds against Sehun and the hybrid's eyes roll back when he can almost feel the other's hands dig into the curve of his hips. He shuts his eyes and the hand working over his cock is replaced by Jongin’s, the splashing water drowned out by Jongin’s soft, deep voice whispering tender declarations.

 

Tears well up in Sehun’s eyes and his fingers press dryly into his opening from his constant, desperate need to be touched. Sehun cries into his sweater from the resistance he’s met with, bites the fabric down until his jaw hurts and his canines have surely ripped holes into it. With just a few more hurried glides of his fingertips from his perineum to the harsh presses on his rim, a few more sloppy twists of his wrist, Sehun cums hard with a barely repressed whine, semen splattering onto the wooden cabinets under the sink. His body rushes with electric shock after shock of pleasure as his spine curls and arches from each wave, hand milking every bit of pleasure his body can give him.

 

As he comes down, Sehun’s body slips off the sink and falls onto the floor without grace. Sehun's thighs are unable to stop shaking and his heavy breathing comes out strained and ragged. Sehun’s body starts feeling heavy with relief, and his limbs feel numb from the exertion to his being from the new experience. His member twitches pathetically in front of his bleary eyes as it softens and when Sehun tries to touch it again, he hisses from the painful sensitivity.

 

No one has ever made Sehun desire his own body to be touched so much and to harbor such a terrible craving to touch someone else like this before. There’s a sick feeling settling in the pit of Sehun’s stomach and he hiccups with a sudden overtaking at realizing how conflicted he feels about his body and about his feelings for Jongin. He had imagined Jongin doing this to him, giving him what he wanted but it’s like he used him selfishly. With blurry, teary eyes, Sehun cleans up the best that he can and pulls up his pants.

 

He turns off the sink that he has left running the entire time and Sehun catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror. The evidence is painted across Sehun’s face; his eyes are shiny, shirt ripped, skin blotched red and sweat slicked. His cat ears swivel, afraid that the moment he’s seen, he’ll be discovered immediately. Sehun splashes water on his face, turns off the faucet and leaves the bathroom, breathing clearly for the first time since he’s been awake.

 

The sliver of moonlight peaking out of Jongin’s room catches Sehun’s eye and there’s the slight wave of nausea again at thinking about the other. Sehun should head into his own room, protect the other from his rampant desires.

 

He doesn’t do a good job at convincing himself, and so Sehun, with shaky steps, goes inside the other’s room quietly. Jongin’s back faces Sehun as he sleeps facing the wall and it looks like Jongin was too tired to properly cover himself with the blanket.

 

Sehun is relieved Jongin is fast asleep, otherwise, he’d be begging Jongin to press him down, kiss him eagerly, touch him--

 

Sehun’s throat constricts painfully, swallowing down a wanton whine before it manages to break through him. As he finally lays besides Jongin and brings up the covers to blanket them both, Sehun plasters himself against the sleeping boy’s back. He rubs his cheek against the nape of Jongin’s neck and noses the hairs there just as he had in the kitchen. Jongin’s scent alone soothes Sehun’s burdened mind.

 

With a few kisses and a single, soft bite, Jongin groans tiredly. Sehun is eased just by Jongin’s mere presence, and the vile feelings that had risen inside him have been tampered down until they were nothing more than a few cinders. Sehun falls into an easy sleep curled up next to Jongin.

 

–

 

Jongin wakes up late in the morning to long, pale limbs tangled in his own. Sehun shifted sometime in the night so he was laying his head on Jongin’s chest and holding onto him like a child holding onto their favorite teddy bear. Jongin disentangles an arm so he can massage Sehun’s scalp with his fingers the way the hybrid likes it. When Jongin hears a soft purr, he feels satisfied. He couldn’t be luckier, Jongin surmises as he sighs deeply in absolute happiness. With a few kisses to Sehun’s temple, Jongin does his best to not wake the catboy up while untangling them.

 

He’s gotten better at this whole thing as he successfully loosens Sehun’s grip and tucks the cat back in. Jongin goes into the hallway and crosses paths with Kyungsoo, but he’s hit with confusion when the shorter man snickers at him. When he goes to use the bathroom, his eyes widen and his jaw drops at his reflection. Not only is his neck and shoulders covered in red hickies and bruising bite marks...he’s covered in familiar dark strands hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im going back to that stupid habit of going about things day by day but i did say it was slow burn..........
> 
> ALSO plz............i know...................i know that the bathroom scene is self indulgent n irrelevant n mildly uncomfortable............I KNO B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i caved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! like this ch rollercoasters from bff antics n awkward conversations to!!!!!!!!! a sexual awakening n honestly dont ask me what im doing anymore,,,,,
> 
> n im going to introduce some new things next, i feel like this thing is 3/4 done??? im getting there.........im sorry.............at this point im kinda worried about how to integrate chansoo's story here or if i should leave that as a seperate fic idk...........
> 
> by the by would any of u b interested in one shots??? if so id also appreciate prompts, spring break is almost over n its almost time to start procrastinating lmao


	11. And so, Luhan walks into a bar and says, "What the fuck am I doing here?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Then you wouldn’t mind a house visit, right? I mean, there’s nothing to hide, and I’ve been feeling lonely. Not a lot of hybrids around, you know,” Luhan purrs, but his voice is thick with ulterior intentions. Jongin steels his nerves, gulps down the waver in his resolution.
> 
> “Okay.”

Sehun wakes to an empty bed, but the still warm covers soothe him once he realizes he’s alone. It feels like Sehun is coming out of a haze, clear headed and like the tension in his muscles he never knew existed suddenly came undone. Sehun vaguely recalls crawling into Jongin’s bed after...using the bathroom with sudden urgency, and being surrounded by Jongin’s scent directly afterwards was like finally giving his heated, feverish desires a rest, allowing him a peaceful night.

 

Although he doesn’t particularly feel cold, Sehun still pulls the covers off the bed and carries it with him. Sehun makes his way into the kitchen, sitting on a chair as he pulls the blanket tighter around himself, looking like an over stuffed burrito. Only his eyes and cat ears remain visible. Sehun waits for Jongin, who is probably washing up or something and Sehun burrows deeper into the covers at thinking of what’s happened in the bathroom, and Jongin being in the same space. A dull heat licks at his abdomen, but he takes a large gulp of Jongin’s scent still lingering on the covers and it dissipates easily.

 

Kyungsoo walks around, freshly washed and alert when he suddenly stops to observe the bundled up hybrid sat patiently at the table rather than laying by the window. It’s not such a rare sight these days for Sehun to sit, waiting, however, Sehun keeps certain blankets around the apartment when he wishes to curl up in them. He certainly doesn’t drag them to the table, or else Kyungsoo would have to clean them if they got dirty and Sehun would stay sour until he managed to scent the blanket to dispel the aroma of fabric softeners.

 

“You’re gonna get the blanket dirty, Sehun,” Kyungsoo warns as he passes by the hybrid to get started on breakfast. “I’ll be careful,” Sehun mostly mumbles into the covers and Kyungsoo sighs.

 

“Sehun, put it away, or else I’ll end up having to wash it.”

 

“I’ll bite you,” Sehun almost growls at Kyungsoo and the older boy pauses in surprise. He quickly shakes it off and starts rummaging around.

 

“Just like you bite Jongin?” Kyungsoo states and Sehun flushes hotly.

 

“No, I’ll bite your head off.”

 

“Well, it looks to me like you’re trying to eat Jongin.”

 

“What about me?” A rough, familiar voice sounds and Sehun peers up through the gap in the blanket.

 

Sehun focuses on Jongin, hair soft and fluffy from being blow dried after showering, skin glowing with the light of the morning sun and--

 

Sehun’s eyes widen when Jongin rubs at his neck self-consciously. The tan expanse of Jongin’s neck is littered with almost purpling hickies, angry, red bite marks and, despite Jongin’s usual body wash, Sehun’s scent wafts off of him thickly. The hybrid jumps off his seat, covers hanging off of him loosely as he clambers over to Jongin.

 

Jongin observes the hybrid as he approaches; he looks horrified and Jongin lets Sehun assess him as his lithe fingers tentatively touch the marks, the imprints of his teeth, gently moving Jongin’s jaw to see the damage. Even so, a building warmth bubbles in Sehun’s belly at the sight, conflicting with his worry for Jongin’s sake.

 

Sehun swallows the guilt pooling in his mouth. He licks his lips nervously, missing the way Jongin follows the nervous tick indulgently, wishing he could lick his way into Sehun’s mouth again.

 

“I--” the hybrid begins, unsure of what to say. He doesn’t remember leaving those marks, the ones he had left behind previously had faded easily during the night, licks and kisses never being rough enough to leave something akin to welting skin from deep grooves of teeth. But these new marks are certainly his own, with how Jongin’s natural scent and Sehun’s merge enticingly together.

 

Jongin shakes his head and gently takes Sehun’s still roaming fingers into his own.

 

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like they really hurt.” Jongin assures Sehun but Sehun’s expression is pinched.

 

“Won’t it be weird? To go to work or go out and—and you’re covered in..,” Sehun doesn’t finish, simply gazes down at the hickies. Then, a corner of Jongin’s mouth quirks up, a smirk Sehun hadn’t seen before. It was a different kind of confidence as Jongin looks at Sehun with lidded eyes, gaze heavy and flirtatious. Sehun suddenly felt even more insecure with the underlying meaning of such a heated look he didn’t quite understand.

 

“Sehunnie, if it’s from you, why would it be weird? You can do anything you want to me. But if you really feel bad..,” Jongin trails off with a purr, voice lower than Sehun remembers it and the spike of arousal hits the hybrid, causing a shiver to curve up his spine. He’s pulled closer by strong arms, and Sehun can only look deeply into Jongin’s eyes. Sehun’s shaky breath hits Jongin’s skin and the human grins wider as his lips graze Sehun’s. The cat’s eyes flutter closed on instinct, bracing himself to be kissed. Instead, Jongin misses Sehun’s lips on purpose to tip Sehun’s face to the side and nose at the underside of his sharp jaw, mouth brushing softly against the pulse of the hybrid’s neck.

 

Sehun’s breath hitches, catches in his throat and his lungs can’t seem to properly function when Jongin’s teeth close over the large vein of the hybrid’s long neck. His face rushes with blood, and his head fogs up with the adrenaline of Jongin scraping his teeth feather light on his skin. A loud keening sound breaks into the thick atmosphere, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Sehun realizes it came from his parched throat.

 

He doesn’t have time to be embarrassed as the air rushes back into his lungs, someone outside their bubble grabbing the blanket and properly wrapping it around Sehun and locking him in it. It dulls Jongin’s obviously aroused scent with the more subtle, soothing one of the blanket.

 

“Alright, that’s enough!” Kyungsoo breaks them apart, with a vibrant blush high on his cheeks from the heavy PDA. Sehun, dazed and breathless, is pulled away from Jongin, who has the decency to look embarrassed as he remembers just where they are.

 

“This is the second time you guys have tried to do this here, and I’d rather not have to sanitize the entire kitchen because of you two,” Kyungsoo grumbles as he led Sehun back to the table to sit him down.

 

“Sorry,” Jongin apologizes, stricken with a sudden embarrassment as if he just hadn’t shamelessly felt Sehun up in front of Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo only narrows his eyes as he holds Sehun close, the hybrid unable to do any wrong in his eyes despite how much he has reciprocated Jongin’s affections and advances so far.

 

As Jongin approaches Sehun’s side of the table, Kyungsoo quickly points at the opposite side of the table to give the cat some time to come down from his fog. Jongin, though with a pout set on his face, does as told and sits across from Sehun.

 

Breakfast goes on normally then, with a few stolen glances between Jongin and Sehun. As Kyungsoo predicted, Sehun manages to get splatters of food on the blanket and he sighs.

 

“Sehun, go grab another one of your blankets so I can wash that with the next load of laundry.”

 

Instead of begrudgingly giving up the blanket, as Sehun is incredibly cleanly, or at least conditioned to be as such from Kyungsoo’s hard work, Sehun shakes his head childishly, turning up his chin to ignore Kyungsoo’s words.

 

“Sehunnie,” Kyungsoo’s voice pitches lower, dangerous, and Jongin looks uncomfortable, if not horrified from the challenging display. However, Sehun doesn’t back down and instead huffs, getting up from his place and taking the blanket with him to sit by the window. Kyungsoo glares at the bundled up hybrid under the light of the sun and takes in a deep, calming breath. He starts clearing up the table and Jongin is unsure of how to proceed.

 

“Uh, I can try and convince him to give up my blanket?” Jongin offers and Kyungsoo looks at him with mild interest.

 

“No wonder he won’t let that thing go. Okay, go ahead and take it, but usually, when Sehun wants something, he’s a brat about it until he finds something else to amuse himself with. But you know bratty Sehun pretty well, I guess,” Kyungsoo waves Jongin off on his new task, convinced there’s no getting Sehun out of the dirtied covers.

 

Jongin mulls over his plan of action, though he can’t really try deceiving Sehun, or else the cat hybrid might hold a grudge against him and he doesn’t think he can take the hybrid’s silent treatment after all they’ve been through. He’s had enough of that for a lifetime, anyway.

 

Instead, Jongin walks over to the lump by the window and crouches besides it, pulling the cover from where a lone cat ear peaks out. “Sehun-ah?”

 

Sehun peers up curiously at Jongin with a set of green and blue eyes, even more beautiful and clear as the sun shines through them. Freckles on Sehun’s skin contrast even more with the natural lighting, pretty constellations dusting over Sehun’s nose and cheeks. Jongin pulls the covers lower so he can run his thumb on the high point of Sehun’s cheek, hand cupping the cat’s jaw.

 

“The blanket’s dirty, Hun.” Sehun’s cat ear twitches at the pet name and there’s a faint, pink blush filling his pretty skin. Sehun tries ignoring Jongin’s statement and rubs his cheek against the palm of Jongin’s hand. He doesn’t want to give up the blanket.

 

Jongin sits in a loose cross-legged position on the floor then, patting his thighs invitingly and Sehun debates whether to stay in Jongin’s blanket or cuddle up to the boy. It doesn’t take much thinking as he unravels himself from his tight cocoon and brings the blanket over with him to sit in the small space in between Jongin’s crossed legs, clutching it still in his hands. Carefully, Jongin pulls the blanket away to drape his own arms around Sehun with little protest and Sehun sighs, content to still be surrounded by the scent of the other. Jongin pushes the blanket aside, smoothing down the fabric of Sehun’s clothing, keeping him warm, close.

 

Kyungsoo watched the entire scene with amazement, maybe a new found respect for his friend; he still remembers when Sehun would refuse to give up his blankets, due to the fact that they smelled entirely of him, a reminder that the cat owned something. Though Kyungsoo was sympathetic, it was still gross when Sehun carried around soiled quilts and comforters when the hybrid was gaining confidence in his surroundings. It is, afterall, still instinctual for Sehun to scent his things despite the sparse meetings of other hybrids. It was always a battle to keep the hybrid clean at first, but Sehun eventually learned that if he kept his things spotless, it lessened the need for Kyungsoo to run after him to wash his belongings.

 

And so, Sehun set up where he’d keep certain blankets, even in the apartment when it was still new, so if ever he had a need to pull one over himself, he had one nearby.

 

However, Jongin’s blanket is something Sehun willingly carried from the other’s bedroom into the kitchen and sat with it all of breakfast, despite knowing better. Kyungsoo hurried to pick up the forgotten blanket to put it in with the rest of the clothes that needed washing. Something tightens in the older’s chest as he keeps watching both boys from a few paces away. It’s intimate, how Jongin presses kisses onto the hybrid’s temple, rocking them gently, the heat of the earlier situation replaced by innocent affection.

 

He wonders how things like this happen, how they went from apprehension, to yearning, to confessions and then to gestures that seem like second nature.

 

Kyungsoo walks off, wrapped up in his own wishful thinking, Jongin and Sehun unaware of their small roommate leaving them on their own.

 

\--

 

“Sehun, you know you have to apologize to Soo for being kind of a jerk to him,” Jongin reminds the hybrid after sitting in peace for a while.

 

“Hm.”

 

“Not ‘hm’, Hun. ‘Sorry’,” Jongin digs his finger just under the cat’s ribcage and Sehun’s body jerks involuntarily. He still manages to keep a poker face to disguise the sudden reaction and the gears in Jongin’s head turn.

 

“You really are ticklish, aren’t you, Sehunnie?”

 

Sehun looks at Jongin with a straight face, lips stretched into a thin line. Jongin smirks at Sehun, both staring each other down for a long moment. Suddenly, the hybrid tries to bolt but before Sehun can successfully escape Jongin, the tanned boy grabs Sehun’s sides and drags him close, flitting his fingers just under Sehun’s ribs and loud, high pitched squawks sound through the apartment. It’s ridiculous, but it’s also endearing, the strange noises being pulled from Sehun as Jongin continues to dig his fingers into the hybrid.

 

The light rough housing ends up with Sehun somehow kicking Jongin square in the chest, winding him.

 

“Jongin! Fuck, I’m so sorry,” The hybrid sits up, nearly knocking Jongin over onto his back. He watches with his hands uselessly outstretched in the air as Jongin clutches his chest.

 

“I-it’s okay, I should have seen that coming,” Jongin says with some wheezing and coughing. After a stilted moment, Jongin laughs and falls back completely, spreading his arms out beside him, taking in breaths of his own and basking in the light of the sun. Sehun is unsure of what to do, afraid of closing their distance over how guilty he feels for actually kicking Jongin from a reflexive kick.

 

“I’m fine,” Jongin soothes the cat and pats at the empty spot beside him, beckoning Sehun towards him. Sehun’s tail flicks for a moment before he moves over to Jongin and settles down beside him, using Jongin’s arm as a pillow. Rubbing the spot he kicked, Sehun opens his mouth to apologize once more, but Jongin takes the hybrid’s hand in his own and brings it up to his lips, kissing the back of Sehun’s hand.

 

“Gross,” Sehun mumbles, shy at the gesture, but he tries to hide his smile by burying his face into Jongin’s side.

 

“Gross? I’ll show you gross,” Jongin then turns to Sehun, sitting up and swinging one leg over the hybrid’s body so he’s once again hovering over the younger. He starts planting wet kisses on Sehun’s face, pulling the other’s arms away when he tries to cover himself. He’s squealing under Jongin’s merciless attack and Sehun grabs Jongin’s face, finally placing a hard kiss on the boy’s lips.

 

Jongin smiles into the kiss, stopping his tirade upon the other and instead opting to melt into the press of Sehun’s petal soft mouth on his own. The kiss doesn’t go beyond the sliding of their lips, there is no sense of the same urgency they had the night before, or before breakfast. Sehun’s needs are replaced with a blooming affection, warm and hazy. Jongin pulls back after a moment to look at Sehun, giving him one last kiss on his cheek before he’s laying back down in his previous position.

 

There’s a new string of words Jongin wants to confess to Sehun, words that go beyond just liking him, can’t quite be conveyed fully with proximity. Still, Jongin and Sehun are lulled to sleep by the sunshine and each other’s presence.

 

Somehow, Jongin once again sleeps through Sehun practically gnawing his skin raw. The collar of his work shirt does little to hide the marks, but Jongin pretends not to notice Sehun’s look of utter satisfaction as he shuts the door behind him.

 

“You guys are gross,” Kyungsoo says in disdain but Sehun sticks his tongue out at him. He’s starting to get irritated, skin prickling once more like it had before, and he feels heat washing over him. Sehun settles for sleeping under the fitted sheets of Jongin’s bed, temporarily soothed until the covers are washed or until he’s surrounded by Jongin blanketing him entirely with the presence Sehun can no longer do without.

 

He’ll wait for Jongin to come back to him.

 

–

 

The next few days sees Jongin littered in fading bite marks and new ones, placements rotating to unblemished skin back to almost gone bruises. Jongin flushes hot with embarrassment when people walk into the bowling alley only to be tended by someone with the tell tale signs of a lover. Teenagers giggle, whisper among themselves and adults with kids gape at him as they hurriedly distract their children. Jongin was self conscious as it is, but there was no way he’d make Sehun stop either with how proud he is of his handiwork.

 

Chanyeol, at first glance of Jongin, wolf whistled obnoxiously, disturbing the patrons and loudly ask him borderline inappropriate questions as Jongin tried his best to bat him away and tell him to go back to manning the prize booth at the arcade. Despite the arcade being on the opposite side of the registers and check out for bowling, Chanyeol only needed to take two steps to the right and he once again ended up near Jongin to harass him like a true twelve year old.

 

It’s a Monday, Sehun having been even more clingy than usual the entire weekend, and Kyungsoo had to redirect Sehun away from the boy in order to let Jongin slip out of the apartment. He and Chanyeol are getting ready as the previous shift packs up and they take over. There’s a lull in people and Chanyeol wanders back over to the registers where Jongin is sorting shoes and replacing a couple of beat up pairs.

 

“If you guys weren’t grossly in love, I’d think Sehun was trying to suck the living soul out of you,” Chanyeol says as his eyes are conspicuously glued to the almost purple in hue marks. Chanyeol sounded less concerned and more wistful.

 

“Okay, I get it, you’re horribly single, Chanyeol.”

 

“I mean, I’m just saying--” Chanyeol is cut off as a stern voice calls them over.

 

They both turn to see their coworker recently turned manager fixing them with a glare they know is more or less his default expression. However, there’s a new face besides him and the manager gestures at the stranger.

 

“This is Luhan, he just started working here. He’ll be on the registers with you, Jongin. I’ll be training him, but if I need to step out and he needs help, take over for me. After a while, he’ll rotate around--”

 

The manager continues talking, but Jongin nods without really paying attention. Chanyeol seems just as stunned, but it quickly morphs into a pleasantly surprised grin.

 

They’ve just hired a cat hybrid. Luhan’s ears are a little more rounded than Sehun’s sharp ones, and his hair is a honey blond. His tail is also thinner, whereas Sehun’s is fluffier. His eyes are a brilliant gold but Sehun’s are infinitely deeper, more enticing. He doesn’t mean to compare them, but this is the second time Jongin’s in such close proximity to another hybrid.

 

Although, Jongin is in a bit of shock, he tries his best to shake it off. Luhan looks at Chanyeol with an easy smile but when his eyes land on Jongin, he narrows his gaze, and Jongin can tell he’s looking at his neck. Luhan quickly refocuses on the manager and Jongin tries doing the same.

 

That must be some first impression.

 

–

 

As the day goes on, the manager and Luhan get along well, even Chanyeol has an easy time of getting to know the cat boy. Jongin only gets bits of information from hearing the others conversation just a few feet away.

 

At first, Jongin chalked up Luhan’s non-talkativeness to him as being a part of the awkward atmosphere Jongin felt. Jongin isn’t as much of a social butterfly as Chanyeol, anyway. However, as the manager steps away to Jongin’s horror, Luhan shoots him obvious glares, looking at him in disgust. Jongin doesn’t know what he’s done wrong, but avoids Luhan all the same. He doesn’t want to start any sort of conflict, and if that means getting written up for being unwilling to help an obviously hostile person, then he’d prefer it.

 

Jongin is due for a break soon, and as he walks around Luhan to leave the registers, the cat slams his shoulder into Jongin’s painfully, causing the boy to collide with the endless rack of shoes full force.

 

“What the fuck?” Jongin grits out as he reels with the pain from both his shoulder and back. The cat shrugs.

 

“My bad. I didn’t see you.” Luhan says with little interest, wholly unapologetic.

 

“Is there a problem?” The manager reappears and looks at Jongin, who’s obviously in pain.

 

“No. I just fell against the shoe rack,” Jongin excuses in his bid to not create anymore problems for himself. The cat looks back at him in sick amusement. The manager is once again being called away, and he gives Luhan a quick look.

 

“You okay here?”

 

Luhan smiles, deceivingly angelic. “This is a piece of cake.”

 

The manager nods and walks briskly towards a loud commotion—apparently someone’s slammed on cheap beer and is attempting to run into the pins head on.

 

Jongin tries slipping quietly away as Luhan is temporarily occupied with trying to see the spectacle, but before Jongin can safely walk away, the cat boy indiscreetly calls behind his back.

 

“Disgusting.”

 

With the last shred of patience tossed to the wayside, Jongin turns towards Luhan, stomping back to finally confront the cat.

 

“Seriously, what do you want? If you have a problem, say it. I’m not here for any of this passive-agressive shit,” Jongin nearly growls at the smaller boy, but Luhan fixes him with a glare that could rival Sehun’s.

 

Luhan grabs Jongin’s arm, surprisingly strong for a petite cat boy and leads him into the employee’s break room. Jongin feels a cold sweat break out as the cat locks the door behind him.

 

“If people here knew what you’ve been doing, they’d see you as the low-life you are,” Luhan spat as his tail swung wildly behind him.

 

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Jongin stepped closer to Luhan in an attempt to intimidate him, but Luhan stood firm.

 

“It’s only been, what, a few hours and you’re treating me like I’ve killed someone!”

 

“You might as well have,” Luhan yells back and points an accusatory finger into Jongin’s chest. “You can try to scare me all you want, but I’m not the poor cat you’ve got scenting you, you asshole.”

 

“Huh?” Jongin can only respond as he’s suddenly dumbstruck.

 

“You reek of a cat’s claim. The only way you can smell like that is if you’re forcing a cat in heat to scent you. What kind of owner are you?”

 

“Whoa, okay, there’s a _huge_ misunderstanding--”

 

“Are you really telling _me_ , of all people, that I’m _wrong_?” Luhan’s cat ears flattened into his golden head of hair and Jongin is slammed with a realization of who Luhan is. Still, he’s desperate to explain something he’s unaware of.

 

“I swear I’m not forcing anyone to do anything! I’m not anyone’s owner either!” Jongin says as he instinctively brings his palms out defensively, and something in his expression must have begrudgingly convinced, even if temporarily, Luhan that Jongin might be telling the truth. Then, Luhan smirks and Jongin feels a slight shiver up his spine.

 

“Then you wouldn’t mind a house visit, right? I mean, there’s nothing to hide, and I’ve been feeling lonely. Not a lot of hybrids around, you know,” Luhan purrs, but his voice is thick with ulterior intentions. Jongin steels his nerves, gulps down the waver in his resolution.

 

“Okay.”

 

Luhan didn’t seem to expect that with the brief surprise displayed on his face. His lips pull into another condescending smile, bitter.

 

“Then I’ll see you after work.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i accidentally wrote like 8k(?) words so I'm breaking it into two chapters lmao


	12. Deus ex(love) machina but honestly Luhan just talks a lot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Jongin can close the door behind him as they make their way to his room, Sehun’s whirling around and blurting out what he’s wanted to ask.
> 
> “We are going out, right?”
> 
> The room goes incredibly silent and the click of Jongin’s door sounds so loud.

“You want me to come over?”

 

Jongin paces as he looks over at Luhan cashing out his register at the manager's instruction.

 

“I think Luhan wants to kill me. If you’re there, maybe he won’t. Or maybe he’ll go for you first, you don’t seem that fast.”

 

Chanyeol looks unamused.

 

“You can stay for dinner.”

 

At that, Chanyeol’s eyes lit up, and he nods wildly. Of course Jongin’s safety isn’t even second on Chnayeol’s list of friend duties. He scoffs but Chanyeol’s head is elsewhere, filled with fond memories of Kyungsoo’s rare dinner invites but memorable dishes.

 

Luhan greets them at the entrance of the bowling alley with a saccharine sweet smile, causing Jongin’s gut to churn uncomfortably. He makes sure to sandwich Chanyeol in between himself and Luhan—for safety reasons. The walk home seems incredibly long to Jongin and the cold winter wind does nothing to soothe the slight sweat breaking out from anxiety on his skin.

 

As they approach the apartment, walking down the hall of his floor, Jongin glances over at Luhan. Luhan looks lost, confused, and it makes Jongin worry with what the hybrid might surmise. The blond cat boy hesitates as Jongin opens the front door to his apartment and invites them in with stilted permission. Kyungsoo is home, the apartment filling with the heavenly aroma of food, so if Jongin dies, he’d at least have someone to avenge him. He thinks; Kyungsoo doesn’t seem to be anywhere at the moment.

 

Then, Jongin hears the quick padding of socked feet and before he sees him, Jongin is opening his arms for Sehun to cuddle up to him. Sehun collides into him and he takes his indulgent gulps of Jongin’s scent. However, instead of staying in each other’s arms for longer, taking up the space at the front door, Sehun looks up at Jongin with wide eyes.

 

“Sehu--”

 

“Hunnie?”

 

It’s Luhan who’s speaking, and both raven haired cat boy and human look towards him. Even Chanyeol seems surprised as he glances over at Jongin and Jongin looks just as perplexed.

 

“Lu?” Sehun squints at the familiar cat boy. Luhan breaks into the first genuine smile Jongin has seen since first meeting the hybrid and he bounds over to Sehun, taking him into a bear hug and spinning around the younger boy as if feather light.

 

“I can’t believe it,” Luhan puts Sehun down, looking him over as if afraid he’d find something. He does, an indent of a long faded scar on Sehun’s cheek and Luhan looks devastated as he traces it.

 

“How--”

 

“It was a long time ago, Lu,” Sehun assures, pulling Luhan’s hand away from his cheek. With hesitant arms, Sehun wraps Luhan up in his own hug and they revel in their fateful reunion. Sehun pushes away from Luhan first.

 

“Jongin?” Sehun looks over to Jongin and Jongin is still processing what’s in front of him, a burning jealousy bubbling inside of him.

 

“I need to talk to Luhan. I’ll explain later. I’m going to use your room, is that okay?” Jongin just nods. Sehun goes over to him with a gentle smile, leaving him with a peck on the corner of his lip and quickly leads Luhan away. Luhan looks over his shoulder at Jongin, as if wanting to ask a million questions.

 

Jongin swallows down his own burning curiosity.

 

–

 

As Sehun closes the door to Jongin’s room, Luhan’s nose wrinkles in disgust.

 

“Can I open the window,” Luhan whines and Sehun chuckles. He gives Luhan a once over before he’s hugging him again, a sob of relief he never knew he expected in his life overwhelming him.

 

“I never thought I’d see you again,” Sehun admits, voice on the verge of cracking. Luhan rubs gentle circles into Sehun’s back.

 

“I thought the same. I can’t believe you’re here. I can’t believe I found you when I stopped trying,” Luhan says quietly, afraid of being overtaken by his feelings of resolution at having found his kennel mate, the boy he had helped raise, who he took care of each time he was returned—someone he had loved and continued to love so dearly.

 

“After you were taken to a different center, I ran away and tried so hard to look for you. I swear, I tried for so long--” Luhan sobs out and now it’s Sehun’s turn to shush the older cat boy.

 

“It’s okay, Luhan. We’re okay,” He rocks them back and forth, Luhan crying into Sehun’s shoulder. Luhan notices how much bigger Sehun has gotten, sturdier, and another pang of guilt racks through him at realizing how much he’s missed out on.

 

“I’m so sorry, Sehun.” Sehun just shakes his head, lets Luhan let it all out until he’s reduced to sniffles.

 

After a while, Luhan is finally able to talk, though his voice is just above a whisper.

 

“You’ve grown a lot, Sehun,” Luhan points out at the others obvious growth spurt and Sehun laughs, shoulders shaking up and down. It jostles Luhan a bit and Luhan chuckles, glad that Sehun’s weird shoulder shake is something he still does when he’s laughing. It’s comforting—though Sehun’s voice is a bit deeper, he’s taller, and definitely quite a beauty, everything that made up the younger cat is still the same. From the freckles and mismatched eyes, to the crescent shapes Sehun’s eyes pushed into when he smiles.

 

“Come on, Lu. Sit,” Sehun gestures for them to sit on Jongin’s messy bed. Although Luhan really doesn’t want to, what with Jongin’s scent thick on the sheets, he sits for Sehun’s sake. He falls onto the mattress like he’s carrying a heavy weight, sighing as they calm down from the high emotions of their reunion. Luhan watches the younger take a pillow and hug it to himself.

 

“Sehun, be honest with me, okay?”

 

Sehun looks at Luhan with a bit of apprehension, but agrees to the question.

 

“Are you really fine here? I can help you pack your things, get you out. Hybrids can get jobs now, you know? We could support each other, be on our own--”

 

“Lu,” Sehun cuts Luhan off with a soft call of his name and Luhan looks at him, hope etched on his features. The younger feels a slight tug at his heart.

 

“I believe you when you said you looked for me. You must have looked for so long, wishing one day you could take care of me, just as you had back then.” Luhan nods, demonstrating his full sincerity.

 

“After I was moved to a different center, I had given up. I didn’t have you anymore—I didn’t have anyone. I had been returned so many times, kicked out, even had to walk myself back to a place I would still be alone in. But then, Kyungsoo came along, took me in. He’s never treated me badly. In fact, he helped me out so much, I have so many things to be grateful for.”

 

Luhan assumed Jongin was Sehun’s owner, but it turns out it’s this Kyungsoo, a complete stranger, someone he can’t even put a face to. Still, there’s a simmer of anger rising within Luhan at the unknown.

 

“You don’t owe anyone anything, Hun. If you want, you could leave. You don’t belong to anyone,” Luhan says, as if he’s trying to convince Sehun he’s living for someone else. Sehun simply shakes his head.

 

“I know that because of Kyungsoo, Lu. If it weren’t for Kyungsoo, I would still believe that I had to wait for someone to give me the bare minimum.” Sehun looks into Luhan’s gold eyes, firm and honest, and Luhan admonishes that Sehun is okay. Has been okay and flourishing since he’s been gone.

 

“And Jongin?” Luhan asks, willing to hear out how the human takes residence in Sehun’s life aside from this Kyungsoo person.

 

Luhan isn’t prepared to see Sehun fill with so much love and wonder at the mere mention of Jongin, he almost feels like he’s seeing a whole different person before him. Even when Sehun had a little crush on him, he never looked at Luhan in the same way. Sehun’s cheeks pink delicately and his cat ears twitch. Luhan takes note of the gentle sway of Sehun’s tail as the younger thinks about Jongin.

 

“He’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. Jongin has always been so kind and gentle, even when I was absolutely awful to him. No matter what I did, Jongin never stopped trying to make me like him,” Sehun giggles, back of his hand covering his widening smile. Luhan watches on with mild horror and a lot more interest.

 

“He’s so funny, Lu, he doesn’t care that the dinners I make him are the worst or that I take his food away because I make him feed me his. He likes me, he tells me all the time and I honestly believe him.” Sehun has a giddy smile on his face, voice suddenly soft, laced with feelings. “I think you’d love him, too,” Sehun says and Luhan is stunned.

 

“Love?”

 

At that, Sehun can’t help but bury his face into Jongin’s pillow, ears flat at his declaration. He said it, and yet he’s the one that’s most embarrassed.

 

“S-So,” Luhan clears his suddenly parched throat. “You scenting him, t-that’s because you l...love him?”

 

Sehun looks at Luhan from under his long bangs for a moment. He feels the confusion of his previous actions finally click and it all just makes sense, though a blush rises steadily on his features. “Yeah...I guess.”

 

“You guys are going out,” Luhan asks as he relents his feelings about the whole ordeal quietly. Just then, however, Sehun tenses. Luhan narrows his eyes.

 

“You _are_ going out...right?”

 

Sehun shrugs. “I don’t know.”

 

“But you love him,” Luhan says sternly.

 

“I said so already,” Sehun’s cat ear flickers in irritation.

 

“Does he like you back?”

 

Sehun nods.

 

“Then--”

 

“I don’t know, Luhan,” Sehun mumbles as his cat ears remain flat against his head and his tail wraps around himself.

 

Luhan runs a hand through his hair, exasperated.

 

“You’re heat scenting the guy and you don’t even know if you’re going out?” At that Sehun shoots up from where he’s buried his face into the pillow and stares at Luhan wide-eyed.

 

“Heat...scenting..,” Sehun’s voice wavers and Luhan looks back at him with doe-like eyes.

 

“You don’t know you’re doing it.” Sehun’s mouth opens and closes quickly, because he absolutely has no idea he’s going into heat soon, let alone knowing he’s scenting Jongin for the whole world to know his claim for when it happens.

 

“I’ve never--! I didn’t know--!” Sehun nearly shrieks with realization, though in his own defense, he never needed to know about his own biology due to the fact he’s never been in heat before.

 

“Sehun, you’re 18!!”

 

“I’m 19!!”

 

“Y-you’re 19!!”

 

Luhan doesn’t know he started shouting, he just feels as panicked as Sehun looks. Luhan has dealt with his own hybrid instincts, but he’s never had to break it to another hybrid before. Suddenly, he’s feeling like a single father handling a new milestone in his son’s life.

 

“Uh, okay, let’s walk through this together. We’ll talk about your Jongin thing later,” Luhan says as Sehun hugs the pillow to his body even closer to calm his nerves.

 

“Uhm, okay. Okay,” Luhan wrings his hands nervously. “Okay--”

 

“OKAY!” Sehun shouts into the pillow and Luhan snaps out of it.

 

“Right, well, from what I know, or from what I can assume? I guess since you’ve never gone into heat before, is that, uh, before Jongin, your body must have never needed to go through one since you didn’t have a partner, or didn’t see any potential partners, so uh, there wasn’t a need for one. I also know that heats take longer to first start when...when hybrids are under constant stress, unless they’re forced with medication.” Luhan’s voice stutters under the uncomfortable honesty he presents Sehun, and the younger boy stiffens at the information. He continues.

 

“Unfortunately, that means you’re doing things you’re not aware of.” Luhan sighs, voice suddenly soft. “Meaning, you might also not be emotionally ready to go through one.” Sehun comes up from his spot in the pillow, unwilling to meet Luhan’s eyes, but still mulling over just what the blond cat means.

 

“You said so yourself, you love Jongin, but you’re not even going out. Or you don’t know if you are. You’re unsure of where you stand. If he’s not as invested in this….whole thing as you are, you might get hurt if you decide to spend your first heat with him. You could end up regretting it. He could. The first time it happens, the first time you scent someone, claim them, is because you see them as your mate, whether you know it or not. Despite what most humans make us out to be, we’re horribly monogamous.”

 

Sehun looks into Luhan’s eyes, and there’s an underlying meaning to his words.

 

“Were you...”

 

Luhan gives Sehun a tight smile.

 

“I thought so,” Luhan shrugs, quickly dismissing that moment of his life for another time. He’s tired, he’s intruded long enough, and Sehun needs time for his timely guidance to sink in. “If you’re okay here, if you like Jongin, if he truly likes you back...I suggest you sort through your shit first. And then do research on heats together so you know what you’re in for. If you decide you want to spend it with him. It seems like your heat is a ways away, so all I ask, all I want from you, is for you to be careful.”

 

Luhan raises his pinky finger to Sehun. Sehun’s expression softens, the worry from before ebbing away at Luhan’s childish gesture, but he still clasps his own finger around the others. Luhan brings Sehun in for another hug, and they both quietly breathe in the familiar scents of each other. Though, Luhan recoils just the tiniest bit as he smells Jongin’s own presence coil into Sehun’s being.

 

Both cat boys leave Jongin’s room, walking side by side in peaceful familiarity, though it’s been years since they last saw each other. They spot Chanyeol and Jongin seated at the kitchen table, with a new face among them. Only Jongin pays them attention while the other two seem to only see each other. Jongin glances at both hybrids anxiously. Sehun smiles at him, while Luhan looks at him with resignation. Jongin would take offense, if Sehun’s presence didn’t calm him entirely, soothing the knots in his gut.

 

“Soo,” Sehun says and Kyungsoo’s attention is taken off the tall red-head charming his way into a second helping of dinner. Kyungsoo looks at Sehun, then he peers over at the stranger with a neutral look.

 

“This is Luhan, he’s my friend from back when I was in the center.” At that, Kyungsoo demeanor relaxes, walking up to both boys and shaking Luhan’s hand with a slight bow.

 

“Thank you for taking care of Sehun back then,” Kyungsoo says with a vague recognizance at Luhan’s name.

 

“I’m just glad my Sehunnie’s okay. Thank you for looking out for him for me,” Luhan says genuinely and then, he’s fixing a cold glare at Jongin, before he reminds himself that Jongin hasn’t done anything wrong, at least, according to Sehun.

 

“Jongin. I’ll see you at work.” Jongin nods amiably, and Sehun beams at their simple interaction.

 

“I’ll be taking my leave now, excuse me,” Luhan finally makes to leave. Kyungsoo nods, bowing slightly again, before walking him out with Sehun following close by. With one more hug and a promise to call him as he slips a phone number into Sehun’s hands, Luhan leaves them with a wave.

 

Sehun feels lighter than air; he can’t imagine his life getting happier. However, as he walks back to sit by Jongin for dinner, he remembers his conversation with Luhan, finally letting it all sink in.

 

Jongin has told him he likes him, time and again, kissed him, over and over. His own heart desires Jongin in so many ways, but he has never really thought about asking the more important things, things that establish his relationship with Jongin.

 

Though dinner looks appetizing, Sehun doesn’t think he can leave it for later.

 

“Jongin?” Jongin’s focus on the hybrid has been unwavering, but he answers Sehun anyway with a questioning yes. Sehun suddenly looks shy as he fiddles with his fingers, cat ears twitching nervously.

 

“Can I talk to you?” At that, Jongin’s heart sinks, and his mind fills with a myriad of possibilities as to what Sehun could mean. He was awfully close to Luhan, incredibly familiar, and even knowing that, out of all the coincidences that could have happened, they were friends reunited after what seems like an eternity, Jongin felt the coals of jealousy singe him deeply. He nods hesitantly, disregarding his quiet panic and looks towards Kyungsoo for some reassurance. However, Kyungsoo looks excited to be alone with Chanyeol, and his traitorous friend, who isn’t even paying him the slightest mind, is too busy stuffing his face.

 

Before Jongin can close the door behind him as they make their way to his room, Sehun’s whirling around and blurting out what he’s wanted to ask.

 

“We are going out, right?”

 

The room goes incredibly silent and the click of Jongin’s door sounds so loud. When it’s obvious Jongin is too stunned to answer, Sehun closes the gap between them and Jongin backs away until his back hits the door. Sehun isn’t getting the response he hoped for and he steps back, panicked and embarrassed.

 

“I thought, I mean, you like me and I like you and--”

 

“You actually said it...” Jongin’s voice breaks Sehun’s train of thought.

 

“What?”

 

“You like me, you finally said it,” Jongin looks at Sehun in genuine wonderment.

 

“Because I do...I like you.” Sehun can hardly meet Jongin’s eyes, nervous at his own confession. It’s not as pretty as Jongin’s confession was, nor reassuring, it was just a sudden expulsion of anxious words and Jongin just happened to catch them in Sehun’s panic. Jongin’s grin is face splitting, but Sehun only looks at him with obvious hesitation, and the boy walks over to his mattress to lay down, looking at Sehun expectantly as his arm stretches out onto the empty side of the bed.

 

Sehun follows him naturally, as he’s been in Jongin’s room more than anywhere in the apartment, been in Jongin’s arms more than his own favorite blankets and melts into the human’s side.

 

Sehun rests on Jongin’s chest, nuzzling into his neck and watching goosebumps emerge from the sun kissed skin. There’s a peaceful hum of silence as Jongin shatters Sehun’s panic with ease. Jongin closes his eyes, relishing the heavy press of Sehun’s body against his own. He wraps the arm Sehun’s resting on around the hybrid and brings him closer, as close as he possibly can and kisses the crown of his head before he begins talking.

 

It’s something that’s been on his mind for a while, something that’s worth confessing rather than creating even more insecurities he would find harder to chip away.

 

“You know, when I realized I liked you, I thought it would be hard.”

 

Sehun pushes up to look Jongin in the eye, resting on his forearm.

 

“Why is that?”

 

Jongin is at a loss for words that wouldn’t give Sehun the wrong impression, but still, he lifts his free hand up and brushes Sehun’s fringe behind his human ear, tracing the shell of it lightly before sliding his hand up and smoothing down a velvet soft cat ear. Sehun’s features flash with hurt and Jongin pushes up to kiss Sehun again.

 

“I was afraid—truthfully, I thought you being a hybrid, it’d be hard to always understand you, or that I’d end up treating you differently even by accident. I was afraid of hurting you because of who you are, or only wanting you _because_ of what you are, something you can’t even control,” Jongin sighs, sitting up and Sehun does the same, quietly listening to Jongin.

 

“I didn’t know if I liked you because you’re you, or because you were the first hybrid I met. But the closer we got, the more I realized how easy it was for us to talk, joke around. I liked everything about you...It was like being with my best friend, except if my best friend was someone I kinda wanted to kiss all the time, even when they acted up because they’re _such_ a sore loser,” Jongin laughs as Sehun’s features morph into something unimpressed.

 

“Okay, so my point being, I don’t want you to misunderstand my feelings for you. I like you, or, I mean, obviously I do,” Jongin laughs nervously as he continues to ramble. “But I like you because you’re Sehun, cat, person, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s you. And even if I have a hard time understanding you, I want to learn so I eventually know all of you. That is, I think it’s wrong to say I only like you. Because I think I love you.” Jongin says softly, closing his eyes to shut out Sehun’s expression, still afraid even after kissing Sehun full of love, emotions, desires…

 

There’s a sudden flood to Sehun’s nerves, something thick filling up his lungs and it spills over with a choked sob. To hear Jongin loves Sehun, such a difference to his first confession, has the world blurring in the cat’s eyes as tears freely spill in streams down his cheeks.

 

“Sehunnie?” Jongin places his hands soflty on Sehun’s jaw, thumbing away the nonstop flow of tears and Sehun tries in vane to hold back, biting his bottom lip and shutting his eyes tightly.

 

“Y-you love me?” Sehun strains to ask, but Jongin fills with his own happiness, as his own eyes mist over and he nods fervently.

 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure,” Jongin states with a breathy laugh and Sehun nearly tackles Jongin as he kisses him, dripping nose, tears slipping onto the corners of his mouth and everything but Jongin kisses back through the wet kiss. Sehun pulls back just a bit, resting his forehead against Jongin’s.

 

“Then I’m pretty sure I love you, too,” Sehun says into another kiss and Jongin wraps his arms around Sehun tightly, pulling them both down onto the bed and continuing to kiss the cat, on his eyelids, the tear tracks, the reddened nose, rosy bitten lips, just anywhere he can reach to demonstrate just how happy he is.

 

After a brief pause of them just looking at each other, taking in their features as if they’ve been apart for lifetimes, Jongin speaks, voice low and subdued.

 

“To answer your question, though, I guess technically we’re not going out,” Jongin says honestly. Sehun frowns.

 

“We’re not?” Jongin smiles at Sehun knowingly, and his cat ears swivel, not understanding Jongin at all.

 

“If you went on a date with me, that’d change,” Jongin answers and Sehun is shocked for second before he’s hugging Jongin, wrapping his entire body around him like an octopus.

 

“Jongin, are you asking me out after you’ve already stuck your tongue down my throat?” Sehun says in an exaggerated scandalized tone and Jongin barks in laughter. The shaking of Jongin’s body is pleasant as Sehun presses his ear into Jongin’s chest, hearing and feeling every movement run down his own spine, committing it to memory.

 

“Yeah, we’re working backwards here. So go out with me, Hunnie,” Jongin looks at Sehun with a cheesy wiggle of his eye brows to convince the cat hybrid. Sehun sighs as if he’s annoyed.

 

“Well, I _suppose_.” the hybrid teases, making a show of rolling his eyes.

 

“You might as well, because you _loooove_ me,” Jongin sing songs and Sehun laughs into Jongin’s shoulder, slapping the others chest.

 

“You love me, too!” It’s quiet for a moment as Sehun’s giggles seep into Jongin’s being.

 

“I do,” Jongin agrees, and the teasing is gone from his voice, replaced with a soft honesty. Sehun smiles up at Jongin earnestly and leans over slightly to kiss his jaw, trailing his mouth up to Jongin’s lips.

 

“Then take me out on a date, Jongin.”

  
Jongin kisses his assertion into Sehun’s lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!! 
> 
> so, luhan's just here to give sehun some informal biology lessons lmao but he's here to stay kind of anyway
> 
> two chapters for taking so dam long!!!!!! (technically it's only one bcuz i couldn't stop writing but shhhh) so sorry for continuity errors and mistakes in general and what not plz bare w me!!! thank u for sticking aroiund for so long too!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> btw LOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! https://twitter.com/pneumonella/status/992821066417532928 I CAN'T BELIEV E IT THEY DID IT AGAIN AND ONCE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IM DYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i can't beleive i acutally have someone invested enough in my shenanigans to warrant fan art i m just so happy it's so beautiful and im crying O(-(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	13. We try together and hope for the best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun’s gaze softens as a few tears manage to stream down Kyungsoo’s cheeks. The hybrid carefully wipes them away, and Kyungsoo looks at him with glossy, reddening eyes.
> 
> “Do you mean that?”

_It’s been weeks now, and Sehun still hides away in the small spaces of Kyungsoo’s home. Kyungsoo still doesn’t quite understand Sehun’s habits, if they were habits at all, which the human fears. This day is no exception, as he tries looking for his new friend’s hiding spot. It changes every so often, and trying to look for the frail cat in the spot Kyungsoo found him in before doesn't help. When it’s been close to an hour since he started looking, Kyungsoo begins to worry, afraid Sehun just up and left without saying anything. Not that he’s said much since Kyungsoo first convinced his parents to let him take the poor, abandoned thing in._

 

_“Sehunnie! You scared me,” Kyungsoo says softly when he finally finds the small boy hiding away under his parents’ bed. The cat flinched the moment Kyungsoo lifted the linens to peak under the bed, scooting further away from the human._

 

_“You don’t have to hide in here, Sehun. You have your own room if you ever feel the need to have some time for yourself,” he explains gently and Sehun’s ears flicker, as if he didn’t understand a word Kyungsoo said. The boy sighs, but he extends a hand to the cat anyway to coax him out from under the bed. Sehun looks at his open palm distantly._

 

_“I just want you to feel safe. You don’t have to hide away, Sehunnie.” Kyungsoo remains patient, hand outstretched for a few, long moments. Sehun observed him the entire time in silence. Sehun isn’t as patient, however, giving in and taking the others hand in his own. Kyungsoo thinks the cat is much too thin with how small his wrist is._

 

_“There we go,” Kyungsoo says with a sincere smile as Sehun finally climbs out from under the bed. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat.” Sehun remains quiet, but his ears perk up and towards Kyungsoo and his tail curves a little at the end of it at the mention of food. Kyungsoo makes a mental note to pick up some brushes for the feline as Sehun’s tail is looking a bit matted. Kyungsoo takes the thin wrist in his hand and Sehun instinctually tries to pull away._

 

_“Oh, I’m sorry.” The boy let’s go of the cat’s hand easily with a quick apology. Kyungsoo is met with a blank expression before Sehun is shaking his head. The hybrid offers up his wrist slowly and Kyungsoo makes sure Sehun sees him wrap his hand around it so he doesn’t startle him again. He pulls Sehun gently to sit him in the living room, taking a seat besides him as well. Sehun looks around, wondering why they aren’t sitting at the table instead. The Do’s make it very clear that come mealtime, everyone must sit to eat at the dining table, not only because it’s a way to take a pause, but as a means to bond, talk, and as of late, to include Sehun and integrate him into the family, one baby step at a time._

 

_Sehun looks at Kyungsoo, confusion clear on his face, but Kyungsoo has a proposition to make._

 

_“Sehun, I was thinking; maybe we can go out and eat somewhere. Just so you can get used to being in town. I haven’t seen you go out at all, and it’s good to go out and get some exercise.” They’re suddenly steeped in silence, and Sehun’s face hardens before he’s getting up and heading back into a corner of the house._

 

_“Sehun? Wait--!” Kyungsoo starts after the cat, but Sehun is walking something closer to a jogging pace. “Did I say something wrong!?” He calls out after the other but Sehun refuses to turn around to face Kyungsoo. “Sehun!” Kyungsoo yells as he grabs Sehun’s arm and the younger immediately drops to his knees and cowers, his free arm coming up to cover his face defensively. Kyungsoo is stunned at Sehun’s reaction and he immediately let’s go of the terrified boy. Sehun has never looked so small before, even if he is already impossibly thin and an inch or so smaller than Kyungsoo._

 

_“Oh my god,” Kyungsoo whispers in horror. He kneels so he’s at eye level with the hybrid instead of looming over him. “Sehun, I’m sorry,” He says, tries to amend. Kyungsoo reaches over to put his hands on Sehun’s shoulder but Sehun curls up even more, shaking. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just wanted to know why you were angry.” Kyungsoo feels desperation, panic as the hybrid is non-responsive. “Please, Sehun,” Kyungsoo’s voice shakes, he knows, but all he wants to do is to protect the hybrid._

 

_“Don’t throw me away,” The hybrid begs, on the verge of weeping. “I can’t go back again.”_

 

_“Wha-,” Kyungsoo doesn’t know how Sehun got that idea in his head. “Why do you say that?” He gently moves Sehun’s arms out of his face and his heart breaks as the cat’s eyes mist with unshed tears. Sehun bites his lip, eyes glued to the floor. “Talk to me, Hun,” the boy says softly as he attempts to meet the hybrid’s eyes with a tilt of his head._

 

_“You said you wanted to go out,” Sehun says with a waver in his voice he can’t control. “You want to get rid of me. L-leave me somewhere.” With the fearful confession, Sehun finally looks up to Kyungsoo with rolling tears down his face, eyes wide and pleading and bottom lip quivering. Kyungsoo feels his own eyes burn hot with tears, anger welling up inside him; who could have possibly done this to Sehun to make him so afraid?_

 

_“I promise that’s not what I intended,” Kyungsoo assures but Sehun looks on with the same fear, paranoia imbued in him. “I promise. I just—I wanted to take you out so that you could experience the things I do, to share with you everything I have.” Kyungsoo clamps his eyes shut in a bid to stop his own tears from slipping pathetically. “I want your world to be bigger than this.”_

 

_Sehun’s gaze softens as a few tears manage to stream down Kyungsoo’s cheeks. The hybrid carefully wipes them away, and Kyungsoo looks at him with glossy, reddening eyes._

 

_“Do you mean that?”_

 

_Kyungsoo nods his head almost immediately and Sehun wipes his own face, coming down from his panic attack._

 

_“I know that I’m still a stranger to you. But,” Kyungsoo pauses as he wipes the snot from his nose. Sehun smiles a little, endeared with the human. “But we can work this out. We can do this together. I won’t let you be alone, and...and I won’t be alone either. So please, Sehun,” Kyungsoo lays his hands flat on the floor and bows his head at the hybrid, forehead meeting the cool tile. “Please let me be your friend.”_

 

_Sehun has never seen a human prostrate themselves to another hybrid before--he’s struck speechless._

 

_Sehun has been subjected to years of humans with unkind natures, fraudulent smiles, two faced personas, but never a human that showed him sympathy, shown him that he’s willing to give and bow and request something so simple yet terrifying. Being friends means trusting someone, trusting that they’d give and receive and Sehun has never received anything back each time he’s been in a stranger’s home. He’s a living, breathing being, and he’s never been treated as anything other than a pretty decorative piece, a toy, lesser than an animal. His instincts want him to refuse, to say no, he’s afraid, so it surprises both boys when Sehun says,_

 

_“Okay.”_

 

_“O-okay?” Kyungsoo parrots with eyes as wide as saucers._

 

_“Don’t ever dare change your mind,” Sehun warns, and he can’t help but narrow his eyes coldly because he’s not teasing in the slightest. Kyungsoo smiles anyway, shaking his head as if the mere thought isn’t even worth mentioning._

 

_“Never.”_

 

–

 

Kyungsoo reminisces about the first time he was able to coax Sehun out of the house as the hybrid excitedly tells him that Jongin is going to take him out on a date. It was hard back then, going out invoking a precarious level of trust from Sehun he was less than willing to give. Sehun did eventually get the hang of being around town, at first with Kyungsoo, and then, as a charming cat boy, going around open stalls and local restaurants to roam around like a friendly stray.

 

When they had moved into the apartment, though Sehun was bolder, he hadn’t made the effort to get to know the apartment complex nor the city in which they will most likely spend the next few years in and Kyungsoo didn’t pressure Sehun about it either. He thought that Sehun will go out eventually, though still, it’s been months of relegating himself to sunbathing by the windows instead of enjoying the full light of the sun.

 

Now, Sehun is talking about where Jongin might take him, what they would eat, what they might do. Sehun cups his mouth as he wonders if Jongin would hold him in public, as if it’s an entirely indecent thing to do and Sehun’s full on giggling at the idea. Kyungsoo feels warm, amazed and honored that he is able to see Sehun come into himself, grow out of the bounds he was in when he was a disillusioned, paranoid kid and finally let himself openly love and dream and desire.

 

Kyungsoo knows that it was a mutual effort between them, but he thinks about thanking Jongin as well, the last piece in helping Sehun become fulfilled with experiencing every facet of what being alive entails.

 

Or maybe Jongin will get his thanks the moment he sees Sehun with love in his eyes and the privilege at knowing it’s dedicated only to him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is sort of a half chapter? kinda like filler lmao,,im sorry....
> 
> i didnt know what to type tbh, i had no clue where I would go from the last chapter, but then i got one of the sweetest comment from thelittlejaybirb and honestly idk is it okay if i honestly wept???????? lmao idk i never imagined someone would draw me fan art let alone someone else to type up such a precious comment either and yet!! here i am still undeserving :'(((!!!!!!!!!! so i typed up a little more of sesoo's past together since they mentioned it so i hope its okay :')))!!,, anyway thank u sweat heart i love u!!!!!!!!! i hope you have something rly great happen to you!!!


	14. Oh? OH???? A new chapter??? Your next wish may just come true!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun would rather be quartered in that moment instead of living out an actual after school special.

Sehun’s moods seem to crash and pull away like the tides of an uncoming storm—meaning, he was becoming unpredictable the next few days after Luhan’s visit. Sometimes, the cat was quiet, and then he’d be defiant, broody, or just plain unmanageable. At least from Kyungsoo’s perspective. Sehun could do no wrong in Jongin’s eyes, finding his angry pout too cute to not kiss away, although Sehun only pawed at Jongin weakly through the noisy pecks. The quiets Jongin endures lets him study Sehun closer, watch each tick of his muscles, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the flutter of long lashes against Sehun’s cheeks. Jongin cradles the hybrid easily, Sehun always pliable against the boy. Sehun is soothed temporarily once again as he wraps his arms around Jongin’s shoulders and buries his face against the curve of Jongin’s neck.

 

Kyungsoo is being driven to the brink, however, as he chases Sehun’s tall noodle ass with a brush while cursing the younger throughout a suddenly spacious apartment with far too many hiding places for someone too tall and gangly to fit in. He loves his friend, coddles him a little too much, gives in a little too easy—he’s soft for the boy. But those notions may be tossed out the window as Sehun begins neglecting to groom himself along with his general attitude. Usually, his hair is fluffy and soft, tail bushy and so silky that each time it sways, the fine fur waves so very delicately it seems to permanently float.

 

Now that he’s become official with Jongin, for a reason that Sehun won’t elaborate on, the boy’s once shiny, pretty fur is left to curl and mat, his usually prim raven locks clump unattractively, and worst of all, Sehun’s unattended shedding fur is left to cling onto just about _everything_. Kyungsoo has had to walk around with a damn lint roller, and Jongin, poor, tunnel visioned Jongin, get’s the brunt of Sehun’s shedding. Kyungsoo barely manages to wrangle Jongin back into the apartment to have him run a lint roller through his clothes before going off with black hairs clinging to his pants, though on his black work shirt it isn’t that discernible--still. Sehun glares holes into Kyungsoo’s forehead each time he forces Jongin to take care of the problem.

 

Sehun is left to settle with clinging to Jongin’s blankets and dirty laundry picked off the floor, pulling on the last sweater Jongin wore and kneading his pillows, all the while willing the itching feeling just under his skin to dissipate. His fingers twitch with restraint as he feels a coil tighten in his stomach, a heat flare from his belly and to the ends of each fingertip, leaving his toes to curl with the effort to not rut against Jongin’s belongings. Sehun might have torn into Jongin’s pillow a little too fiercely and he buries his face into it as his hips twitch with wound up energy. The knots in Sehun’s stomach settle after grueling moments that seemed to stretch for hours. His muscles relax as the hot fog passes over him and he sighs, forehead sticking to the pillow case with the light sweat the hybrid managed to work up.

 

Buried under everything he can pile onto the bed that still carries even the barest hint of Jongin’s scent and the slick feeling of his skin rubbing uncomfortably in the clothing he’s wearing makes Sehun sober up to his negligence of himself. The lifting haze makes him realize that he feels...gross. Knows he is with how long he’s decided against taking care of his damp looking oily hair, how many times he’s passed up showering or ran away from Kyungsoo brandishing his favorite brush (at which point he’s just too stubborn to apologize to Kyungsoo or ask him for his brush back).

 

Sehun knows he should shower, at the very least take care of his cleanliness for Jongin and brush through his hair and fur a few times in the day, at least sit still for Kyungsoo to properly do it for him, but then his natural scent wouldn’t cling as thickly onto the Jongin.

 

And Sehun wants to possess, imprint himself skin deep, wants to smell both of them on Jongin each time he drapes himself on his--

 

‘ _Boyfriend’._ Sehun giggles at the thought, giddy with satisfaction.

 

His need, his want to claim Jongin as solely his and announce himself as Jongin’s isn’t due to some feral, inborn instinct, but born out of love and a desire to know and have another in the way that he finds important, ideal, as who he is. It’s just that the upcoming events of his life has him responding to these desires, amplified, in a way only he, as a hybrid, can imbue onto another.

 

As a mate, a lover.

 

He still finds himself too embarrassed to search up on how to handle his heat, hyper vigilant when he tries to type anything into Jongin’s surprisingly unsecured laptop (rummaging through his history proved quite tame save for a few videos with hard, sensual movements, all dance and choreography related), the search bar on private browsing looking accusingly back at him. Kyungsoo used to not even so much as flinch Sehun’s way when the hybrid took a hold of his phone, used to the bratty kid’s possession of anything when it’s convenient, but now he’s a little more secretive, leering over the younger’s shoulder with a nervous look upon his face. When the phone suddenly announces a new message, Kyungsoo dives for the phone and hurries away like some sort of goblin. It’s just as well because Sehun would rather bury himself than have his friend find out his body is basically ready for Jongin to do anything to him.

 

And just the thought of it has Sehun’s body thrumming again, pulsing painfully from his crotch and warmth rushing down his thighs. Taking off his sweats under the nest of Jongin’s things proves to alleviate the twist in Sehun’s gut somewhat, bare, hot skin directly under the shelter of Jongins’s blankets and clothes, which feel so much cooler on his feverish body. He takes off the sweater he had on, only to take the shirt under it off and pull the article not belonging to him on his upper body once again. The hairs on his skin raise as the thick sweater feels different on his skin, flush and dragging on his sensitive chest. It’s hard not to focus so much on the wild nerve endings prickling on his skin, and he drifts in and out of consciousness as his body reacts out of his own volition.

 

When he next opens his eyes with a semblance of awareness, it’s due to the relief jolting through him as a cool, slightly shivering set of fingers runs through his hair and threaten to tangle in the mess of locks, plush lips kissing sticky, sweat slicked skin just above his furrowed brow, smoothing it out with each press of soft lips. Sehun looks up through a haziness in his vision and focuses, sharp and clearly on Jongin, tanned skin glowing despite the rise of the moon shining through open curtains, cheeks flush with the cold winter winds. Jongin kisses the high point of his cheek and Sehun’s eyes flutter close, sighing deeply with contentment.

 

Sehun opens his eyes again when Jongin chuckles, and he’s confused at the way the others nose is scrunched up as he looks down at him. “Sehunah, did you even brush your teeth before climbing into bed?” Jongin teases and Sehun gasps into the palm of his hand, affronted by Jongin and embarrassed all the same as he’s just spent the entire day waiting for Jongin, neglecting to even brush his teeth that morning. He won’t mention that he probably forgot to brush them the night before either.

 

“So?” Sehun whispers defensively before he’s pushing Jongin’s face away, self conscious of breathing so close to him now that he tastes the bitterness of his own tongue. He wishes he were cleaner at that moment, freshly showered, skin soft and hair manageable so Jongin could keep running his fingers through it easily. His tail curling between his thighs stick to his legs uncomfortably, and he feels grimy under his finger nails. Sehun feels the blood rush to his face, wanting to shrink away from how shameless he’s become lately. Jongin’s expression softens as Sehun’s eyes look away insecurely and his cheeks tint bashfully.

 

Jongin kisses Sehun’s fingers, which still weakly insist on pushing him away. He buries his face in the palm of Sehun’s hand, humming happily as the feline brings his other hand to cradle Jongin’s face gently in his grasp. “I’m kidding, I don’t mind a little bit of bad breath. I’m no better either, Did you know that the bowling alley’s cafeteria has been missing a few baskets loads of garlic bread every time I happen to go in for work?” Jongin says in a low whisper with a wiggle of his eyebrows and Sehun giggles because, now that it’s been pointed out, he can definitely smell garlic wafting off of the boy. He feels his insecurity lift, just a little, as it seems Jongin doesn’t care whether or not Sehun looks prim and proper all the time.

 

“I wonder how that happened,” Sehun muses and Jongin grins, shrugging noncommittally and pushes away from the warm hold of Sehun’s hands on his cold bitten cheeks to kiss the hybrid on the lips, once, twice, small pecks turning into deep, hungry kissing until Jongin hovers almost completely on top of the younger’s body. It’s a little awkward, though, since Sehun is basically under a large pile of dirty clothes, pillows, and blankets, including the spare covers Jongin keeps for colder nights in case Sehun needs the extra padding.

 

Sehun mewls softly as Jongin parts his lips with his tongue, hand wandering under the mess of blankets to grope Sehun’s chest on top of his cothes and the human wills himself to come back to his senses, difficult as it may be with how Sehun’s thin fingers attempt to hold him in place by digging into the nape of his neck. Jongin breaks the kiss and Sehun whimpers as he chases his lips, causing Jongin’s nerves to alight with burning electricity, suddenly feeling much too warm in his own skin.

 

“Let’s clean up after dinner. Soo said you haven’t eaten yet.” Jongin says breathlessly, his concern outweighing his bubbling arousal despite Sehun’s red, plumped and kiss bitten lips parting to pant lightly, glazed eyes looking up at him with disappointment.

 

“I was waiting for you,” Sehun mumbles, almost too quietly, but Jongin could discern what the catboy says with practiced ease, and the way his heart swells has him almost reeling with affection, grin wild and bright. Sehun returns his smile with a fond look of his own as his fingers push the long fringe of Jongin’s hair back just to see more clearly the way Jongin’s twinkling eyes thin, the long dimple on his cheek and pleasant red blush on them, the crinkle of his nose and Sehun could feel himself choke on his beating heart.

 

“Alright, come on, time to get up from your nest,” Jongin breaks the spell they’re under and starts hauling Sehun out from under the hiding spot. The hybrid whines as Jongin pulls on his arms, body flopping heavily as he makes no effort to help Jongin drag him up. Jongin finally gets the hybrid to at least sit up, holding onto his body and Sehun circles his arms around the others waist with weak protests of wanting Jongin to stay in bed with him. As Jongin pulls the pile of blankets off of Sehun fully, he freezes at an unprecedented sight.

 

Smooth, milky skin greets Jongin, an eyeful of Sehun’s bare legs under a sweater that didn’t cover nearly enough to stop black, skin tight boxers from peaking out. Saliva pooled in his mouth as Sehun clamped his lean thighs together, pulling them closer from the sudden cool hitting his legs and the cold douse of embarrassment at having forgotten he had been half undressed. The hybrid’s tail curls around himself to stop being seen in such a shameless way. Sehun desperately digs under the covers to recover his lost pair of sweatpants to pull them on hurriedly; he can hardly meet the others burning stare. Jongin had caught sight of Sehun’s spine curving down to the swell of his butt when the cat’s tail curled away so it wouldn’t get caught inside his pants.

 

Jongin’s trance lifts, leaving a painful coil in the pit of his stomach and a terrible need to mark the skin he’d gotten only a treasured glimpse of.

 

“I-it got hot under the blankets,” Sehun admits to part of the truth but won’t say that his body overheated at the thought of Jongin pushing him down, marking his skin. The stunned boy shakes his head while attempting to gulp as subtly as possible, though Sehun fiddles with the loose fabric of his pants.

 

“It’s fine, right..? It’s not like we should care that much about seeing each other, uhm...without pants,” Jongin replies with a forced chuckle and an awkward waver in his voice, gauging Sehun’s reaction to his words. He sounds inexperienced to his own ears as he replays the phrasing in his head as blood floods his cheeks. Jongin waits for Sehun to retort playfully like usual, roll his eyes, shrug even, but Sehun’s tail straightens downwards, on guard and his cat ears lay flat in his head of hair.

 

“B-but, obviously, it’s not like I’m saying we should suddenly start walking around naked around each other or something...haha..,” Jongin winces as he backtracks, and sighs when Sehun remains unresponsive, shoulders sagging.

 

Sehun merely glances at Jongin before he’s nodding minutely because, well, Jongin has a point and somehow Sehun didn’t consider all too well how the next step of their relationship would play out in actual reality, especially since one of his most important moments in his young life is barreling so close. He’s sure he wants to be with Jongin in every way possible, to be so close they could meld together, but they’ve seldom seen each other’s bare skin save for when Jongin wore tank tops around the place when it was warmer or when he’s changing into a sleep shirt and is too lazy to make his way to the bathroom out of decency.

 

If Sehun gets this flushed without actually being naked, he doesn’t know how he’ll even breach the whole….situation before it’s too late to do something about it and they both get too freaked out to think calmly. Worst, what if they actually have to call Luhan, or even more monumentally horrifying, _Kyungsoo_ , to help them sort out their easily avoidable problems that should be addressed in the same sense as ripping off a band-aid really fast.

 

Oh, what sit-com are we living in? If Sehun were watching this, he’d file an actual complaint with the station. Or throw the whole TV away, which is easier than throwing this whole story line away.

 

Sehun doesn’t know exactly how to sort his feelings about being seen completely laid bare before Jongin, or how he would handle having Jongin just as undressed outside of his relatively newfound fantasies.

 

Sehun shrugs weakly a few minutes too late for an answer and Jongin looks like he wants to be buried alive.

 

“Jongin?” The hybrid finally speaks, steps closer towards the other nervous boy and looks up at him with doe eyes; Jongin feels a heat at the collar of his shirt.

 

“Yeah, Sehunnie?” The hybrid’s eyes light up, and they seem to search for something particular within Jongin, mouth parting as if to say something. Instead, his words are released with a sigh and Jongin wants to push the hybrid a little about what he might have planned to say before he’s cut off before he even tries.

 

“Dinner...might be getting cold.”

 

“Oh, right. Uh, we can just. Heat it up real quick,” Jongin says with dubious enthusiasm to get rid of the awkward atmosphere he’s created as he pushes Sehun into the kitchen. However, the awkwardness clings onto them as Jongin sets up dinner while Sehun goes unnervingly quiet. Kyungsoo, who had been idling by the kitchen counter on his phone, quickly heads into his own room, tension much too palpable to be bursting his own pink bubble. He gives Jongin a pointed look and Jongin reacts conspicuously by avoiding eye contact altogether. Kyungsoo will certainly interrogate him about it later.

 

Jongin knows Sehun isn’t the usual kind of quiet where he’s simply tired of speaking, but because he’s silent and pensive, and so Jongin doesn’t know how to breach the air, chase away the suffocating feel of it. He just sits down next to the cat and occasionally reminds Sehun to continue eating his dinner when he looks at nothing in particular for too long. It’s odd not to personally feed Sehun, hybrid idly focused on _something_ , eating off of his own plate as prompted.

 

Clean up is also left to Jongin, letting Sehun think over what he needs to, things still unbeknownst to Jongin despite the human being at the center of it. Sehun jolts out of his thoughts when Jongin leans down and presses a kiss onto his temple as he sat in silence. Jongin looks concerned for him, and his features soften, releasing tensed muscles he hadn’t known were set into something harsh.

 

“Was I wrong? About what I said,” Jongin whispers as he keeps kissing Sehun’s forehead in apology, kisses where the wrinkles of his brows were, and Sehun can feel the overbearing thoughts chip away. He stands up from his chair and holds onto Jongin to reassure him because...

 

“No, that’s not--maybe I’m just a little too embarrassed to be seen. Like that.” Sehun chuckles a bit melancholy as Jongin pulls away to look at Sehun. Sehun avoids looking him in the eyes, closes his own as Jongin rests his forehead against Sehun. “I shouldn’t be, not with you. But--” his words stick thickly in his own throat. Strong, large hands cup Sehun’s jaw as if he were too fragile to be handled any other way.

 

In Sehun’s own thoughts, he realized that he doesn’t feel good enough, deserving enough, not like this. Every part of himself culminates to jab at him that Jongin being a part of his life is too good a dream. Sehun is much too thin where Jongin is so broad and solid, so pale and skin dusted with freckles where Jongin looks like a sunset incarnate...He’s just a hybrid that feels helpless to instinct whereas Jongin--Jongin is just Jongin. Sehun hardly knows what might happen, a day from now, an entire life time from now, how he would react or if he would fall prey to his hybrid overwhelming both of them. If Sehun were to entirely bare himself to Jongin, would the other still want him?

 

Maybe Sehun doesn’t feel embarrassed—just afraid Jongin will realize he’s entirely too different to love. That he was never worth the effort.

 

“What if—What if you..,” Sehun says soft, weak, and Jongin can feel the way Sehun’s bottom lip trembles against his own mouth, hear the shaky intake of breath. Somehow, it’s like Jongin can suddenly read Sehun’s thoughts as if he’s written them down for him. His heart feels like it might break.

 

“Sehun, you know I love you just as you are. And I’d love to share everything about us,” Jongin says quietly, a conversation only for the two of them and the space between. Sehun is once again almost lost to his thoughts. His chest pangs with guilt, because he knows Jongin is too good to not mean his words, to leave him for something he can’t help.

 

But--

 

“But I don’t want you to feel like you have to do something you’re not ready for just because you think you should.” Jongin kisses Sehun’s eyelids and the wetness in the corners of them aren’t due to Jongin’s lips. “We have all the time in the world. I’ll still be here, with you.”

 

The blooming love moving through Sehun’s veins course warmly, a sweet nectar coating his tongue as he kisses Jongin’s lips.

 

“Jongin, you’re so lame,” Sehun says with suspiciously stuttering words.

 

“Sehun, you have to take responsibility for making me this way.”

 

“I’m not taking responsibility for something you already were before we met,” Sehun continues to tease, though he hugs Jongin tighter with sure hands, unwilling to let go.

 

“Careful then, it’s pretty contagious,” Jongin warns as he rocks them in place, holding Sehun so securely Sehun really might melt into him.

 

“I know.”

 

–

 

Something in Sehun’s mind unwinds and he finds himself finally taking care of himself as he groans with happiness from the warm water rushing down his body. It’s like he’s ran a marathon and the water releases the tension of his stiff muscles. Perhaps his fears were manifesting in such a way that he couldn’t let his presence on Jongin fade away while being unaware of why himself.

 

It’s been a while since he’s properly sat with Kyungsoo without threatening to stab him with his glares, and while Jongin gets ready for bed himself, Sehun gathers a few things and quietly makes his way to his best friend’s room. He thinks of how he should apologize for being the worlds biggest pain, but instead the blow dryer in his hold is much more interesting, weighing it in each hand and reading the logo on the side of it.

 

As if tired of Sehun’s hesitance, Kyungsoo’s door opens and the hybrid almost drops the blow dryer in his surprise, it bouncing out of his grip multiple times before successfully catching it in his clumsy hands. Sehun dares to look up at Kyungsoo, but his friend only greets him with a small smile, if only just the tiniest bit exasperated roll of his eyes.

 

“Your hair’s still wet, Hun,” Kyungsoo points out and Sehun knows because he has a towel conveniently around his shoulders, but doesn’t comment on it, only handing his friend the tool in his hand.

 

“Will you..?” Sehun begins to ask unsure but Kyungsoo had already taken the device before Sehun could articulate his request. He heads back inside his room to pull out Sehun’s favorite hair brush and comb, setting them by his night stand and Sehun feels a warmth overtake him at the ready gesture. Kyungsoo sets up by his bed and plugs the blow dryer into an extension cord, beckoning the hybrid to sit on the floor in the space between his knees.

 

As Sehun settles against Kyungsoo’s bed, caged in by his friend’s knees, the other grabs the towel, massaging Sehun’s scalp to dry his hair before using the blow dryer on him. However, before Kyungsoo can finish his first task, a message sounds in the quiet room and the older twitches stiffly. Sehun can almost feel his friend force himself to ignore the text.

 

“Shouldn’t you answer that, Soo? Who knows...could be your boytoy,” Sehun leans against Kyungsoo’s thigh as the boy splutters in protest, both from what Sehun has said and from how the hybrid’s still wet hair starts soaking his pajama pants. Sehun willfully ignores Kyungsoo’s accusing, ‘where’d you learn something like that anyway?’

 

“Just hold still and apologize like you intended to,” Kyungsoo complains, but Sehun has a penchant for not doing as he’s told these days.

 

“Apologize? What for,” Sehun feigns ignorance but yelps when Kyungsoo smacks the back of his head. “O-okay, _jeez_ , Soo.” Kyungsoo soothes the place where he hit Sehun (‘don’t exaggerate, Hun.’) and the hybrid accepts his silent apology with a huff. There’s a beat of silence before Sehun wills himself to open his mouth.

 

“I’m...sorry…for being weird lately.” Sehun’s ear flatten slightly, awkward and embarrassed as he reflects. Sehun can’t continue on that line, will be damned if he digs into his problems deeper, so he just gulps for the sake of his drying throat. “It’s just...hybrid stuff.” Sehun recoils at that excuse, because it’s vague, yet entirely too suspicious, and Kyungsoo isn’t known for not investigating until he’s content.

 

“Hybrid stuff,” Kyungsoo echoes flatly and Sehun tries not to curl up into a ball. Even if he wanted to, Kyungsoo has a death grip on Sehun as he starts brushing the knots from his hair.

 

There’s a lull in the room, thick and daunting and Sehun feels like he’s being set up, tricked into a false sense of security as Kyungsoo goes about taking care of him. And the warm feeling of having Kyungsoo know what he likes turns into feeling far too bare in his own skin. After admitting as much as he could to the small human, it makes him anxious how well Kyungsoo knows him even when Sehun still tries to keep some things to himself. As the other switches the hair dryer on, he’s careful not to aim too much heat on Sehun’s sensitive cat ears, shielding them by flattening them down with a gentle palm.

 

Maybe Kyungsoo might have an idea of why he’s acting so strange, but has enough tact to not traumatize Sehun by bringing it up when he desperately doesn’t want to discuss it. Kyungsoo really is patient, forthcoming when it’s called for and tamping down his curiosity when he needs to.

 

“Sehunnie.” Kyungsoo says nothing else but Sehun understands as the other moves a bit to give the hybrid room on his bed. Sehun sits cross legged on the mattress as Kyungsoo starts to brush his tail and running the blow dryer after it. Sehun relaxes, knows Kyungsoo tends to knots with both diligence and care so he won’t pull on anything but the shedding coat laying loose in the furs.

 

And Kyungsoo can’t help but reminisce further to when Sehun would whine each time he would sit him down and work on his hair and fur for almost full hours due to the kitten’s objection to showering at all. He’d come back from under beds and closets either covered in dust or Kyungsoo would come back from class with Sehun’s fur matted and knotted from the kitten trying to groom fur having gone unwashed for days.

 

Sehun would throw fits so badly when bath time came that Kyungsoo would end up even more soaked than the smug cat. It was a team effort in the end to get a young Sehun to bathe at all, Kyungsoo taking great care to wash the hybrid as he sat him on the edge of the tub with a towel to cover his lap. Kyungsoo learned that Sehun tolerated showers more than full baths, needed his tail washed first and for the shower head to detach so Kyungsoo could work much more proficiently on his hair and cat ears. Sehun didn’t trust Kyungsoo to run water down his face so he would wash that on his own along with the rest of his bare skin with soapy towels once Kyungsoo turned away. Kyungsoo also had to learn Sehun’s tolerance towards certain combs and brushes, fine toothed ones for his hair and ones with softer bristles for his tail.

 

At some point, Kyungsoo could read Sehun so well, the hybrid’s cat ears could swivel and angle just so for the human to know when something crucial was happening.

 

And now, even if Sehun has become startlingly independent, gone so far as manage to get a love life before Kyungsoo (sadly enough, he laments for both himself and the kitten he once knew), he still remains his confidant, best friend and general Sehun Extraordinaire. No offense to Jongin (though he might admit he’s a little smug about it).

 

Once Sehun’s hair is as it was before his heat symptoms played with his hormones, as if it caused him some regressing to his youth when he needed extra care and pampering, Kyungsoo finally clicks off the blow dryer and brushes his fingers through the tail hitting his lap in appreciation.

 

“All nice and clean,” Kyungsoo affirms, patting in between the younger’s pointed ears. “I worked hard tonight.” And Sehun feels sheepish as his sense of normalcy comes back, even if they don’t know to what extent it will reside before Sehun is back to his odd moods before it finally alleviates and he’s back to only being a part-time brat.

 

“Thank you, Soo,” Sehun says to Kyungsoo, voice small, and his expression is overwhelming with emotions. It’s not just a thank you for taking care of him tonight, but for still being willing to pause and make time for Sehun when he needs to just share some space with his best friend.

 

“What for,” Kyungsoo softly repeats Sehun’s words from earlier, but it’s enough for both of them to fill the gaps of words unsaid. Sehun gives in to his instinct to appreciate his friend fully, rubbing his cheek against Kyungsoo’s chubbier one; he can actually feel the full force of his small human’s smile against his face.

 

Sehun stands up when he’s satisfied, shaking away the slight ache of his joints. On cue, a text messages resounds through the room and Sehun gives Kyungsoo a teasing side glance when the other’s body jerks. Kyungsoo grips the brush in his hand so tightly with the restrained intent to rush for his phone, Sehun wouldn’t be able to pull it out, dubbing it the Downgraded Excalibur in the back of his mind.

 

“You’re really keeping him on his toes, huh,” Sehun states more to himself as he watches Kyungsoo’s phone vibrate almost violently from under a pillow. “Go on and answer already, Soo.” Sehun chides the other for his hesitance in front of him when he’s already seen Sehun get borderline groped in front of his eyes. As an unwilling voyeur, but _still_.

 

“I’ll get to it,” Kyungsoo shoots him a flat look and Sehun’s lips twitch, amused.

 

“Good night, Soo.” It’s said with far too cheeky a side glance and Kyungsoo raises his open palm as if to smack the hybrid. Sehun barely flinches. Barely.

 

As Sehun turns towards the door, Kyungsoo suddenly calls out to him urgently as if remembering something, tone of voice underlying with worry and the blood drains from Sehun at the other’s words.

 

“Are you….going to Jongin’s room? I mean, should you,” he asks warily and Sehun knows very well that Kyungsoo knows about his ordeal and his concern doesn’t go unnoticed either.

 

“I’ll be okay, Soo,” Sehun mumbles but Kyungsoo keeps pinning him with that owlish, thoughtful expression.

 

“If you need to..,” Kyungsoo scratches the fine hairs at the nape of his neck and Sehun wants to run desperately to Jongin. Sweet, unassuming, unknowing Jongin.

 

Jongin really is a lot of things lately. Being out of the loop is one of them when it seems like far too many people are up in Sehun’s business when Jongin is the one that should...well. Semantics.

 

“I can call your doctor from back home…Just in case,” Kyungsoo says entirely too paternally and Sehun would rather be quartered in that moment instead of living out an actual after school special. He nods anyway to appease Kyungsoo, but he’s a bit relieved that such an option is available to him because god knows he’s learned jack shit about his body besides when Luhan talked to him spur of the moment. That was a couple days ago already and now Kyungsoo inadvertently reminds him of his responsibility to himself. He can push it back a little further, when he’s sure he won’t find out that he’ll turn into an actual goblin. He’s exaggerating, but in his defense, what does Sehun know? It could be true.

 

Not really.

 

But does he really know--

 

“Alright well, I still have some things to do before bed so..,” Sehun says with a small cough into his fist after a short stand off between them. He’s mortified even with Kyungsoo’s ‘tactful’ approach; it’s like he just had a good ol’ talk with his dad and they don’t exactly know how to comfortably end the conversation. He almost expects Kyungsoo to punch his shoulder and call him sport; the thought makes him shudder. When Sehun walks towards the door, it’s far too weird, aware that he’s adopted a weird sort of a crab walk.

 

It takes a lot of exaggerated meditation and tamping down the hint of nausea before Sehun can feel like he won’t stumble over his own limbs on his way down the hall.

 

–

 

Before he opens Jongin’s door, he gets an idea, a sudden burst of courage from how terribly Kyungsoo was dealing with his own boy problem and heads back into the bathroom for a moment, determined. Once he’s satisfied with his extra handiwork, Sehun takes a moment to admire himself in the mirror. The luster of his hair and fur are back, his fingers clean and filed, skin baby soft and pleasant to the touch.His feelings are fully sated as he walks back to Jongin’s bedroom, warm and content as if a whole pile of grime and worries lifted off his shoulders.

 

He finds Jongin having collected his clothes off of the bed, and the mattress is downsized considerably from things that didn’t belong on it in the first place. However, Sehun doesn’t feel desperate to put all of it back together. Looking at Jongin making the bed comfortable for the both of them to curl up in keeps the feeling at bay.

 

“Jongin,” Sehun calls softly and Jongin glances over his shoulder before he’s doing a double-take, mouth gaping and eyes comically wide as he’s blessed for the second time that day with Sehun’s long, smooth legs, bare under a sweater that’s longer than the one he had on when he first saw him that night. The sweater rides up just enough to be the very picture of teasing as Sehun’s tail curves up slightly under it.

 

“Is this okay?” Sehun asks almost too quietly, nerves threatening to overtake him, amplified by the slight cold of the room and Jongin’s strange expression. However, his nerves spark with anticipation, skin raising with goosebumps from Jongin’s indulging stare.

 

“Yeah, it—it’s okay,” Jongin answers with a slight crack in his voice, heart racing and thoughts unsteady. Still, Sehun shifts from one foot to the other in place, thighs flexing and tantalizing Jongin further. Jongin’s expression darkens as he rakes over all of Sehun, from the boy’s reddening cheeks down to the flex of his calf muscles. And for a few moments, Jongin had quickly rescinded to the fact that he’d just probably sleep with a half naked Sehun in his bed, painfully hard and wide awake, but he tries his luck with the way the feline looks up at him expectantly.

 

“Come here, Sehunnie.” The request is said with a low voice, rougher than it was meant to sound and a shiver runs up Sehun’s back. It spurs Sehun forward and into Jongin’s arms as if spellbound. It takes all of Jongin’s willpower not to run his palms up the sides of Sehun’s thighs to the swell of his butt to knead at the soft muscle and slip the rest of Sehun’s clothing off so he could feel the other flushed to his own skin. He hardens his resolve as he imagines feeling the soft skin of the inside of Sehun’s thighs, fingers dancing over the juncture of where his legs meets his hips. He can almost feel it, run his tongue against the flesh. Jongin breathes in slowly.

 

“Being with you is really hard, did you know that?” Sehun worries his bottom lip between his teeth at Jongin’s parched, strained tone. He’s afraid he’s reading the situation incorrectly, the taunting nagging in the back of his mind telling him this moment isn’t what he desperately wants it to be.

 

“Really,” And it’s said with such a small, insecure voice that Jongin kisses the other carefully.

 

“It’s hard because—because I want to touch you, want to feel you,” Jongin noses at the sharp jawline of the other and Sehun tips his head away to provide him better access. Jongin breathes in the hybrid’s scent, clean and sweet from his shower. He brings them closer, pressing his hands to Sehun’s back until their fronts leave space for nothing else.

 

“You are,” Sehun whispers into Jongin’s ear, quickly being affected by the sudden thick arousal on the human. It feels like he could drown in it. Jongin’s intent is so tangible to Sehun’s senses and the heat that usually fades with Jongin’s calming presence is made painfully intense now that Sehun can feel the mutual desire coat the inside of his mouth, clog his nostrils as he breathes in shallowly. Jongin’s lips kiss the skin under Sehun’s jaw featherlight, teasing for just a moment.

 

Then the hybrid gasps when Jongin drags the flat of his tongue on the quickening pulse of his vein, closing his mouth on the skin and swirling his tongue to taste Sehun. The hybrid breathes out a shaky whimper and Jongin can’t stop his hips from bucking into Sehun from the sweet honey of the sound. Sehun is hit with another heavy dose of Jongin’s pheromones and his legs threaten to give in from both it and the sudden burst of an electric sensation against his rapidly swelling cock.

 

“I want to touch all of you,” Jongin amends, hand sliding from the small of Sehun’s back to catch at the hem of the long sweater, riding it up until Jongin can feel sharp hip bones under the tight elastic of underwear, digging his fingers into the skin with purpose. Sehun feels suffocated with a strange but welcome desire unlike any he’s experienced in his own fantasies. The roll of Jongin’s hips are so much more addictive, bleeding into his limbs and clouding his mind than the glide of his own palm or the shy circling of his rim. He digs his nails into Jongin’s shoulders as the other slowly grinds their hips together with more force behind the dance. Sehun trembles from how thick Jongin feels against his own member, bites his bottom lip to stop from crying out from the frustrating yet titillating friction.

 

Sehun pulls back from Jongin’s wonderful, wandering lips on his neck, the steady rhythm of hips with the little shred of willpower he still wields. He looks into Jongin’s lidded eyes, pupils blown and hazy and he imagines he must look the same because Jongin’s arousal fills the air even more. With a single, chaste kiss, much too chaste with how they were just moving against each other filthily, Sehun slips out of Jongin’s arms to sit on the just made bed.

 

“Then...Touch me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ur date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (also known as, i kno the date shoulda come first but u kno i love creating weak dramatic situations i have no idea how to properly handle in a clear and concise manner)
> 
> (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)⁄ *casually cleans up my mental break down n any traces of an emotion how yall i hope ur having a great night/day whenever n wherever u are lmao


	15. Cause every time we touch, I get this feeling... and then I become hot garbage -Cascada

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sehun smiles, a wry pull of his lips. It’s too good to be true. He’s always being reassured that the other loves him and it’s like he’s intentionally tuning him out.
> 
> “Aren’t you tired of always telling me those kinds of things?"

Sehun trembles as Jongin pushes him carefully to lay on his back on the bed; whether it’s due to restrained anticipation or something else, Jongin isn’t sure he trusts his instincts. He doesn’t want to interpret Sehun’s feelings so it might fit his selfish desires.

 

“Are you okay,” Jongin asks softly as the hybrid’s fingers shakily rest on his broad, solid shoulders. Sehun nods, just barely, but it’s not good enough for the other. Jongin presses his mouth to Sehun’s, languidly kissing at the small, petal lips that seemed to fit so well with his own thicker ones. Jongin rests his forehead against Sehun, and though he wants nothing more than to rut against the boy, he hovers over him carefully.

 

“Tell me you’re fine with this. We don’t have to do so much in one night...we don’t have to do anything at all,” Jongin reiterates more precisely while he smooths down Sehun’s sweater where it’s ridden up on his tummy from the exploration of his fingers. And his heart beats out of sync in fear that he might be pushing too much.

 

Sehun, however, weaves his arms around Jongin’s neck, pulls him down into a kiss so breath taking, possessive and rough, it has them panting for air.

 

“I want to. I just never..,” Sehun whispers between them, because in truth, Sehun isn’t exactly sure what it is he wants except for Jongin to burn him up with touches, kisses, to meld them together until they can’t come undone. He’s ashamed his body craves Jongin so much but he doesn’t know how to articulate how he wants him.

 

“I want to, so badly, but I don’t really know where to go from here.” It’s a small, candid confession and Jongin is momentarily stunned that, even with the younger’s lack of experience, Sehun still trusts him to hold him, touch him, kiss and give him permission to handle him with care and love. Jongin nods in understanding though anxiety begins to linger thick in his limbs. Sehun can detect the weight of concern in the other’s sudden hesitance, so he gulps down his own worries and kisses the tip of Jongin’s nose.

 

“Please, Jongin. Please touch me.” And Sehun is once again swallowing hard as Jongin’s flooding arousal fills his senses. It’s so so dense, like a blanket over Sehun’s skin and he feels a sharp flash of heat and pain bloom from the pit of his belly, pooling and hardening his cock until it feels like he might be consumed by fire.

 

Jongin had been seated just on the very edge of the bed, body only half over Sehun’s frame having needed explicit consent before he was kneeling in front of Sehun’s drawn up legs. He sat on his heels, still very aware of the tail just under them. Gulping down an uneven breath, Jongin begins by barely grazing kisses on Sehun’s left knee as his hands slide down the inside of silky smooth thighs to begin parting them as he trails his lips down the twitching flesh, each kiss greedy with hunger as Jongin starts to properly worship any bit of skin he can.

 

Sehun already feels overwhelmed, wants to shrink away from the little electric bursts from each lap of tongue, each wet, sucking kiss, and looking down to see Jongin inch his body further between his legs has Sehun flare that much more with torturous lust. His whines only barely manage to die down before they escape his throat, but it becomes harder when Jongin suddenly kisses and tongues at his thigh, sucking harshly in the same place.

 

With a muffled groan into Sehun’s inner thigh, Jongin is suddenly caught in a vice grip from the hybrid caging the other’s head in his legs. Sehun’s panting, chest heaving with each stuttering breath. Jongin’s fringe tickles Sehun's skin pleasantly and the slight stubble enhances the muted vibration from Jongin’s throat. Just as he didn’t anticipate the reflex of his body jerking with the spilling over of his burning nerves, Sehun didn’t anticipate Jongin digging his fingertips into the muscle of his thighs and pulling them apart only to bite into the supple skin so close to the leg opening of his boxer briefs, dragging out a shaky whimper from the hybrid and causing his legs to fall open, lax and inviting.

 

Jongin pulls himself up Sehun’s body to settle fully between the hybrid’s legs, hips meeting hips just barely and Sehun already looks blissed out—his eyes shone with a small prickling of tears, his rosy lips bitten with restraint, cheeks cherry red and his hair stuck to his forehead with the slight sweat of his heated body. His chest rises and falls quickly from Sehun’s shallow breathing and Jongin wants nothing more than to devour him whole.

 

Sehun sucked in a sharp breath at Jongin’s darkened eyes bearing down on him as if predatory, yet still they remain soft in the depths of them. The hybrid tipped his head back to show off his bare throat, and Jongin takes the bait easily, laving and tasting Sehun’s neck, kissing the skin under his human ear, just under his jaw and Sehun’s fingers wind in Jongin’s hair again to keep him there.

 

Jongin groans as his erection grinds punishingly slow and rough into the hybrid underneath him. Sehun’s eyes flutter close and his jaw slacks open as a long, breathy moan flows out of him from the hot, burning friction. His eyes widen and his palm pushes at Jongin’s shoulder, Sehun’s other unoccupied hand slapping over his open mouth. It sounded contorted to his ears; it was entirely too vulnerable to have come from him.

 

The hybrid’s panting, wide eyed and Jongin doesn’t dare move until Sehun calms and catches his breath. He rubs the skin on the outside of his leg, soothing the hybrid until he's relaxed.

 

“I’ve got you,” Jongin assures and kisses Sehun’s fingers covering his mouth. Jongin’s arousal ebbs away just the slightest, but that’s not what Sehun wants. Sehun evens out his breathing, closes his eyes and kisses the corner of Jongin’s lip, as he’s loved to do since they started kissing.

 

“Keep going,” Sehun gives the go ahead with a small nod and shy glance, and Jongin nods in turn before he’s working his hips against the cat again, however, this time he makes sure to measure his rhythm, ease up on Sehun as to not overwhelm him again. He doesn’t plan to go very far, but just enough to burn the memory of each other’s body moving fluidly against one another as if that is how it was meant to be.

 

Sehun’s body tenses and jolts, arching with the continuous grind of Jongin’s cock on his own, and though there’s a few layers of clothes between their bare members, Sehun’s thighs shake with his building release and it’s proving to already be unlike any other he’s so far experienced. Jongin kisses him to swallow down Sehun’s whimpers, rolls his hips slow but so so steady, never letting his pace falter.

 

The hybrid’s body aches with the tension of his muscles, the need to find relief. The tight coil in his stomach is far too unbearable, skin buzzing and being so flushed with heat Sehun is afraid he’ll never be the same. One more lazy, maddening drag of Jongin’s thick cock against the hybrid, one more tongue filled kiss, one more whispered adoration has Sehun finally tipping over with a silent cry, eyes rolling back and back arching and bowing until he’s flush against the other. He’s calling out Jongin’s name in broken syllables when his orgasm washes over him. The cat trembles, shaking involuntarily and his thighs tense around Jongin’s middle, making the human groan painfully at the knees crushing his sides. Sehun cums almost violently, boxers soaked through as semen pumps out of him from his still twitching member.

 

It’s through Sehun’s haze and greedy intakes of air that he registers Jongin reaching into his own pants, pulling the elastic of it down just enough for his cock to spring forth to clutch it in his own palm. He’s once again pushing Sehun’s thighs open from their deadly seize of Jongin’s torso, stroking himself between Sehun’s legs. He kneads and strokes Sehun’s quivering thighs with needy hands, peppers kisses on the hybrid’s teary eyelids, on his quickened pulse of his carotid, the prominent adam’s apple. Jongin’s brow furrows in concentration as his tightened fist works faster, soaking in the vision before him, recording each and every twitch of a muscle, admiring the sheen of sweat and fabric wet with cum, and he whispers Sehun’s name like a prayer as his peak hits him.

 

“I love you.” Jongin breathes it into Sehun’s skin.

 

Sehun gasps as cum hits the inside of his thighs, the front of his already wet boxers and his gut twists with renewed arousal at the added warmth of Jongin’s own sperm. It feels like his orgasm is building just from the action, spent cock twitching in an attempt to get hard so quickly.

 

And that’s when he feels something strange as his limbs start tingling as if they were passing over hot coals. Sehun feels, much to his horror, something pulse and pour out of his rim, and he can’t stop it as each new wave of heat courses and pumps through his body, causing him to get wetter. It feels dirty, it’s never happened any time he’s masturbated, only now Jongin has been added to the equation and his face floods hot with shame, shame he continues to harbor for his continuously humiliating, foreign body.

 

“Fuck, I--,” Jongin stutters unaware of Sehun's dilemma because under him is the object of his ever growing love and wonder looking like every one of his fantasies come to life, thighs bruised with kisses and bites, dripping wet with both of their cum and sweat. Sehun’s chest is still rising with sporadic pants under a sweater that’s beyond salvageable. Jongin wishes he could photograph the beauty before him, spit shimmering and plump, abused lips, the hooded, teary eyes, cheeks stained red—he settles with soaking him in under the hazy light of a too dim lamp.

 

“Let me take care of you, hm?” Jongin whispers as if afraid to break the dream they’re under.

 

Sehun is still dazed, body hot and dizzy, unable to stop Jongin from offering to clean him because he wants nothing more than to claw away from the attentive, gentle touch of the other as his underwear is slipped down his leg. And with it, both quickly focus on the ropes of translucent liquid pulling and sticking between the fabric and Sehun’s inner thighs.

 

Jongin stares down in confusion as the thick, slick fluid clings and trickles down his boyfriends legs, wets the once dry, soft tail under them as it catches on it. He pulls the briefs off entirely and, with a gentle nudge of his hand, he parts twitching thighs apart. It’s the same, clear liquid that had flooded Sehun’s underwear dripping from the boys twitching, puffy rim, down his crack, his tail, the bed sheets. In his inquisitive silence, Jongin hears a quiet sob from above him as the legs before him try to close shut.

 

“Sehun--,”

 

“I’m sorry,” Sehun stutters out before Jongin can get his bearings.

 

The hot shame in Sehun crashes over him as Jongin asks what he was afraid he would. It was only expected that anything his body does comes down to one thing.

 

“Is...Is this a hybrid thing?” Sehun finally turns onto his side, sopping wet tail caught between his legs as he curls up and away from Jongin, as far as the bed can let him.

 

“I don’t know,” Sehun yells—it’s muffled from under his arms trying to hide his face, but Jongin flinches anyway. He sits back on his heels as he watches the younger’s thin frame shake with muted cries. Sehun is too tired of feeling out of place in his own skin, tired of feeling mismatched for Jongin.

 

The bed dips from behind the embarrassed boy, and the hand curling over his waist, the body pressing warmly to his wet, dirty skin, the endless feather light kisses onto the nape of his neck, has the hybrid’s sobs coming out softer, his body carefully unwinding and Jongin stops himself from audibly sighing with relief, because Sehun is far from peace of mind.

 

They lay in a heavy blanket of silence, the hum of it cut by barely there sniffling.

 

“Tell me what you need, Hun,” Jongin asks of the hybrid. His hand splays on Sehun’s belly, pulling the boy in an attempt to get impossibly closer.

 

Sehun inhales shakily before he dares speak.

 

“I’ve... made a mess o-of everything and you’re still asking me what I want?” It's a quiet, broken question and Jongin fills with sadness for the younger.

 

Sehun let’s Jongin pull his arms away from his face but the hybrid only turns to look at the wall at the far end of the room. He can’t look at Jongin. Jongin isn’t deterred as a careful hand cups Sehun’s cheek and gently presses so they’re forced to meet eye to eye. The eyes that look up at Jongin has his heart breaking. Sehun’s eyes are still brimmed with tears, but they’re there because he looks scared and uncertain. The cat ears atop his black mess of hair twist and flatten in visible confusion.

 

Jongin kisses the boy’s forehead, lips lingering there for what seems an eternity to Sehun. Sehun breathes in Jongin’s scent, heavy with their sex but also somehow purely Jongin’s natural, undiluted fragrance.

 

“Of course I am, Sehunnie,” Jongin says warmly against Sehun’s forehead. “I’d do anything for you. I’ve told you many, many times that I love you. Don’t you believe me?” Sehun’s chest twists with guilt because he does, he trusts the other with his life.

 

Sehun doesn’t answer. But he nods his affirmation where his words hesitate.

 

“What do you need me to do for you?”

 

Sehun twists his body so he’s on his side facing Jongin, giving the older boy a reprieve from craning his neck to see the other.

 

“Wouldn’t it be better if you found someone more...like you?” Sehun dodges the question, and though what he’s asked makes warning bells ring in the distance for the both of them, Sehun curls into Jongin, head under his chin and arms tucked between them.

 

“'Like me'?” Jongin says a bit too dryly but Sehun shrugs.

 

“Without all the extra parts. A real human being.”

 

Jongin wants to cry; he’s overwhelmed suddenly with the lurch in his chest.

 

“You are a real person. I only want you. There’s no one else that could come close to you.”

 

Sehun smiles, a wry pull of his lips. It’s too good to be true. He’s always being reassured that the other loves him and it’s like he’s intentionally tuning him out.

 

“Aren’t you tired of always telling me those kinds of things? Having to deal with me becoming hysteric because I can’t trust what I hear,” Sehun’s words are almost too quiet, but the way they’re spat out are harsh, accusing—he’s done with himself, angry he just can’t rationalize a dream like Jongin.

 

“I never get tired of telling you how much I love you.” Jongin ducks a bit so Sehun can see the sincerity in his eyes.

 

Sehun loves Jongin eyes, creased deep when he widens them; they shine with love and warmth, unwavering. Sehun loves Jongin’s nose, flat and delicate; breathing steady and resolute. Sehun loves Jongin’s brow, smooth and determined. Sehun loves Jongin’s lips, lips that keep telling him he loves him, kisses him despite Sehun’s ever endless insecurities. Sehun loves everything about Jongin.

 

Which is why Sehun can’t see why Jongin loves him.

 

Sehun snuggles into the other again, sighing against Jongin’s collarbone and the older takes the opportunity to keep kissing the hybrid’s crown. Sehun’s body buzzes warmly as familiar fingers slide through his hair, practiced and soothing. The hybrid worries about his sticky, messy body, the dirty sheets under them, the sweater sticking to him like glue, but it’s only a worry in the back of his mind as he starts to drift under Jongin’s loving touches.

 

Forcing himself awake instead of giving into his body’s desperate need to recharge, Sehun asks Jongin the question that shouldn’t have been asked if he hadn’t been too scared to talk with him.

 

“Can we talk about...about what happened?”

 

Jongin hums into his fringe.

 

“Only if you want to. And after you’re clean and comfortable.” Sehun nods because the more alert he becomes, the more aware he becomes of how naked he is, how gross he feels.

 

“Help me?” Sehun asks and it’s uncertain, like he may be crossing a line that is just really an inconsequential groove in the sand denoting of nothing in particular. With no more than those two words, Jongin is up and at Sehun’s side, lifting him up carefully from the sheets to sit him down at his desk chair. He’s glad the spare blankets were merely tossed in his closet as he tears off the dirtied covers and remakes the bed.

 

Next, he comes back to put his full attention on his boyfriend.

 

“Can you lift up your arms?” He asks as he fingers the hem of the dirty sweater and Sehun wordlessly does so by pushing away his reservations. When the last piece of Sehun’s clothing comes off, the hybrid pulls up his legs to hide his sex from both of them.

 

“I’m gonna go get some wet towels, okay,” Jongin informs the other in case Sehun didn’t want to be left alone.

 

“Okay,” the hybrid says in a small voice and Jongin hurriedly moves to the bathroom, grabbing the matching pair of hand towels--he'll buy new ones to replace them--and wetting them before coming back to Sehun. Just having his eyes off Sehun for such a little amount of time is enough to knock the air out of Jongin in unrestrained appreciation, even if the situation is far from heated. Sehun is insanely beautiful, a sight to behold, and sitting naked on the chair makes the hybrid appear as if he’s carved of marble, skin glowing alabaster even in the dim room.

 

“Will you let me..,” Jongin trails off as he holds the damp towels in hand, question lingering. Sehun hesitates for a moment before his legs unfold from where they hid as much of him as they could. Jongin swallows thickly at Sehun’s flawless planes of skin and lean muscle, lines of his body curving and perfect. Jongin tamps down the flicker of heat in his abdomen easily because his boyfriend still looks so small.

 

Sehun won’t meet Jongin’s eyes as the other passes the towel over his body, each swipe careful. Having caught a glimpse of Jongin’s adoring gaze made Sehun feel as if he were being worshiped and he blushed at the thought. Jongin stops what he’s doing when Sehun’s thighs close when he tried to wipe between them.

 

“Do you want to do this part yourself?”

 

Sehun looks at Jongin to read his tone, to see if he’s angry that he reacted in such a way even if Sehun was the one to let him do this in the first place. But Jongin isn’t accusing Sehun of anything, all Jongin wants is for Sehun to feel safe. His gaze is concerned, and of course wonderful, sweet Jongin is attuned to Sehun completely, never pushing or controlling.

 

The hybrid parts his thighs again in silent permission, and Jongin lifts one leg slightly so as to clean under where the clear slick from the bottom of Sehun’s thighs gathered. He grabs the second matching towel because there’s so much of it still lining Sehun’s legs, but he doesn’t comment. Sehun jumps when Jongin finally wipes down his hole.

 

“Still okay?” Jongin asks and Sehun settles down before nodding.

 

“Tell me,” Jongin retrieves the towel from where he pressed it to give Sehun a moment.

 

“I’m okay,” Sehun rasps out and Jongin quickly continues. With each pass of the towel, Sehun has to force himself not to actually kick Jongin away. Sehun mutes the arousal that threatens to get him hard again because he doesn’t trust his body, not until he knows that what it does is normal—for him at least. He does, however, trust Jongin, trusts him to help him get clean, trusts him to take care of him.

 

Jongin tries his best with Sehun’s tail after his legs are back to being only stained with love marks. Strands of fur clumped with the fluid but he manages to get it mostly clean. Jongin dresses the hybrid, knows that after all, Sehun has very low tolerance for the cold, would complain he’s freezing. He needs to make Sehun feel safe and comfortable, and so he decides to change into proper sleeping clothes as well. They're finally done, ruffling the feline’s hair and planting messy kisses on the mop of locks. Sehun is finally smiling after everything, content and safe and happy and in love. Jongin's own smile couldn't be contained with how glad he is that Sehun finally seems to be okay.

 

It's like the air has cleared for them and Sehun raises his arms to Jongin from where he’s sat before the tanned boy is lifting him up again to settle him on the clean bed.

 

He pulls the blanket over Sehun first before settling behind the younger to spoon him. Jongin has taken great care of him, each action full of love and reassurance. There’s no use hiding behind any more walls, Jongin is still here even with Sehun’s roller coaster of emotions and difficult managing. He’s still here, a strong, sure arm around him, warm presence constant and real and solid behind him. Sehun takes in a deep breath and braces himself.

 

“We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This bitch is nsfw af until its not hhhhhhhh I got frustrated so it ended up being literally me dissing my own plot line by making it worse ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ lmaoooooooooooooooooo if ur frustrated w me 2 lmk yall have official permission to piledrive me into the ground for being like This™
> 
> i sorta read through this so mistakes abound and in all honesty i think ive forgotten like 90 percent of this fic (dont @ me) but hrere we are anyway wre getting to the finish line were gonna bullshit our way through this hot mess!!!!!!!!
> 
> anyway im sorry i havent updated my other fics the problem is is that im working on other unrelated fics and im a whole procrastinating dumbass
> 
> ill b back w exos next comeback (dont @ me)


	16. I can't think of a chapter title but I'll pretend this counts as one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each day started and came to an end with Jongin and Sehun has never missed home like he’s already starting to miss Jongin.

“Why are you saying that like it’s a bad thing.” Jongin tightens his hold on Sehun’s waist, nosing at the fine hairs of Sehun’s nape. 

“Well, it depends on what you’ll have to say about what I have to say,” Sehun deadpans, shrugging enough to jostle Jongin from where he was resting his chin on the hybrid’s shoulder. 

“Then let’s talk.” Jongin moves to lay on his back with a deep exhale, shuffling Sehun enough so that they’re more or less facing each other. Sehun settles his head on Jongin’s chest like he’s drawn there, searching for the steady warmth of the soothing heart beat. Jongin ignores the slight tickling of cat ears under his chin with the nervous swivel of them. 

Sehun opens his mouth to speak, but something keeps pushing his tongue forcefully to the roof of his mouth. There’s a lingering hesitation along with a static sensation under his skin, unpleasant. It keeps manifesting, keeps buzzing the static louder and harsher in Sehun’s limbs. 

“Do you know what heats are?” Sehun bites the bullet, tries not to muffle his voice into the sturdy chest he rests on, but it’s almost impossible to resist the urge to hide. There’s a tension present almost immediately, like a flick of a switch, from Jongin as his breathing stutters to a standstill for a few seconds. Sehun tamps down a slight wave of nausea. 

“N-no...not, not really,” Jongin stutters, and Sehun can feel the uneven tempo of the others words against his cheek. 

“’Not really’?” Sehun prods, propping himself on his elbows and eyebrows raised in genuine curiosity at the strange answer, but it only causes Jongin to be the one to shy from conversation. 

Jongin wills himself to give nothing away because, a cursory google search into hybrids was one mistake too many in one life that he yet has to recover from. Popular searches yielded anything ranging from insulting, offensive anecdotes to websites he’s only been able to check mark that yes, he is indeed, over the age of 18 only in the past couple of years. Not that he ever check marked any of those...specific websites. He wouldn’t be able to face Sehun in a hundred lifetimes from shame. 

“I really don’t know anything, Sehun. Otherwise, I could have made so many things easier for you,” Jongin mumbles, sorry that he’s just as clueless for the sake of maintaining his integrity around his hybrid boyfriend. Sehun’s expression softens at the way Jongin pouts out his words, at how apologetic the other looks. Jongin easily leans into the kiss Sehun leaves lingering on his jutted bottom lip. 

“It’s not like it’s your fault. Because honestly, I don’t have much of a clue either.” Sehun sighs, deflating. He traces Jongin’s jaw feather-light with lithe, thin fingers, follows the sharp bone and memorizes the subtle texture of stubble under the pad of his index. His pair of odd eyes follow the invisible lines he draws, while Jongin remarks at the clarity of them. It’s a beat of silence, but thick with thoughts, noisy with trying to connect them into phrases. 

“I think what happened...may have been a sign? Symptom? I don’t know.” Jongin flares with a slight heat lower in his abdomen at the burst of images from just moments ago, but he swallows them down with a thick gulp. It settles as Sehun awaits a response with furtive, wary glances at him.

“’Sign’?” 

Sehun nods, lips thinning into a straight line. 

“Like, what comes before a heat. But I’ve never had one.” Sehun looks pensive, deciding on whether to divulge further.

“Luhan said--,” The gears in Sehun’s mind whir almost audibly, and Jongin guides the feline back to rest against him, to lay bare before him whatever is on his mind. 

“It’s part of...wanting to be together. Wanting to mate. If that makes sense.” Sehun’s voice trembles, afraid that something like that is too much, too soon, too deep for Sehun to want it so badly from Jongin. Jongin, who isn’t like him, isn’t being played by instinct and a biology determined that he’s found his counterpart in the other.

But Jongin’s chest swells at the revelation, and because Sehun has his head focused on the seams of Jongin’s clothes, picks at them like they’re the most interesting stitching, the cat fails to catch the stars sparkling in Jongin’s eyes. Sehun’s eyes flutter at the very physical puff of Jongin’s chest filling with a sharp inhale, relief washing over him at the bright energy held back, relishes in the solid state of it under him as Jongin holds his breath. 

“That’s pretty much what I know. According to Lu, I never had a heat before because I didn’t have anyone I saw as a...partner. That’s why I panicked, everything is so new to me.”

Sehun’s voice quiets considerably as he meets Jongin’s own dark eyes speaking amazement, feels the sudden flutter in his chest dance lightly, and it’s so very odd--ticklish. Sehun gives into the urge to press kisses into Jongin’s collar bones, in the dip of his neck, tasting and inhaling the scent he loves. He presses himself into Jongin to ground himself as he speaks. 

“That’s why it’s happening and I’m kind of scared. But, I want to be with you.” Sehun finds the static under his skin leave behind only the ghost of it and the sound in his ears starts dissipating as Jongin held him closer, tighter, threatening to suffocate him in his embrace. 

“Okay,” Jongin finally breathes out, still filled with vibrant wonder. 

“Are you sure? It’s not just s...sex, it’s a very serious matter. Something I don’t know I could recover from if--,” Sehun says with a strain in his throat, but he only has Luhan as reference and he looked so pained when confronted with his own experience. He doesn’t want to know what that feels like, can’t imagine Jongin doing that to him, abandoning him. But there’s so little he knows, it’s like trying to grab at something blindly.

“I love you, Sehun. I want to take care of you. I want what you want...I want you, too,” Jongin murmurs against Sehun’s hair, the flicking of cat ears soft and still ticklish; it’s hard to hold back his giggling. 

Jongin marvels at the blood rushing the inside of Sehun’s cat ears, his cheeks, the bridge of his nose, his neck, can practically feel Sehun melt and burn on him. He takes Sehun’s hand in his own, the hybrid gripping onto Jongin like a lifeline. There’s a slight shakiness coming from Sehun’s hand from how dearly he holds on, and Jongin swipes his thumb against Sehun’s flushed knuckles. 

“Things are already so different between us. You made it obvious.” Sehun’s grip tightens even more as he speaks, and Jongin feels the uneasiness in his throat for a second. “I have no idea what else could differ, and trying to do that with you before we even knew what we were getting ourselves into—I’m sorry,” Sehun starts apologizing, but Jongin kisses his knuckles like he’s wanted to the moment they were in his hand. 

“We both should have been more clear. Maybe then, we’d know what is normal, and you wouldn’t have to feel the need to apologize for everything you think shouldn’t be happening just because it’s not something I can personally experience. Using me as reference when you’re your own being is…misleading.” Sehun’s tail brushes against Jongin’s thigh as the hybrid nudges his knees into Jongin’s. 

There’s a lull in their talk, not uncommon anymore since they easily gather in each other, but then Sehun sits up with renewed determination. It causes the blanket to push away, bunching around Sehun’s waist but leaving Jongin mostly uncovered and it’s colder than he realized. He wraps his arms around Sehun’s middle, pushing his head against the hybrid’s torso and grumbling unhappily. 

“Sehunnie, what are you doing?” 

“Where’s your laptop,” Sehun asks, but he’s already leaning away from Jongin to search under the bed. 

Jongin let’s go of Sehun so he can reach better and clings onto him again when he finally fishes out the laptop from where Jongin had stashed it. 

“Why, you wanna watch something? This late?” Jongin isn’t objecting, hours of pointless videos and series binging are optimal cuddling hours, but he didn’t think Sehun would want to do anything but rest after such an emotionally exhausting night. 

“No, I want to look up on heats,” Sehun stated matter-of-fact as he opened the laptop. Jongin’s brain took a while to catch up to the implications of a quick google search before he’s ripping the laptop away from the feline’s hovering fingers over the keys and yelling “NO!” at the top of his lungs. Sehun almost fell off the bed, tail bristled from the scare, the wild look in Jongin’s eyes doing nothing to calm the sudden high alert. Kyungsoo makes his presence known at the commotion, banging on the wall connecting their rooms. 

Sehun’s eyes are wide, round in alarm and his cat ears are flat against his head, disappearing in the fluff of hair. His tail thumps against the mattress anxiously, fur smoothing out just a bit, but Jongin knows that Sehun’s temporary fear is being replaced by annoyance. 

“Uh, searching that up this late isn’t the best idea. You should rest,” Jongin says rather unconvincingly. He shrinks into himself, holding the shut laptop against his chest as Sehun narrows his eyes at him. Jongin hasn’t dealt with Sehun’s glares for quite some time, and he truly feels the full force of the judgment in his eyes, even if Jongin still finds them beautiful despite the dangerous situation. Of course Sehun would be angry – at the very least irritated – with Jongin practically yelling in his face. His tail thumps noisily. Sehun is waiting for a proper explanation. 

Jongin sighs deeply, and Sehun’s expression changes to one of confusion. “Trust me when I say, you don’t wanna look it up,” Jongin gives Sehun a pinched, pleading look, and the thumping of Sehun’s tail slows to a stop. 

“Why?” Sehun’s eyes are round, inquisitive, and Jongin debates whether he should be honest or come up with some way to redirect their conversation. But, Sehun is nothing if not stubborn, and knowing he’ll want to look it up if Jongin won’t say anything, he opens his mouth.

“Well...most...popular sites are made by people who don’t actually have “appropriate” first-hand knowledge on hybrids, let alone hybrid heats.” Sehun gauges the explanation, but it’s quite obvious he’s just getting irritated again at Jongin’s tip-toeing. Even the process of trying to better word himself, Jongin can feel the bubbling up of anger from how useless it is to come by reliable information because people tend to gloss over and generalize who hybrids really are.

“It’s pretty much stereotype after stereotype. Like, any and all you can think of or heard of, it’s what you’ll find first, as well as a lot of pseudo bullshit about inferiority. There’s even sites specifically made to degrade hybrids.” Jongin hates the way Sehun’s shoulders tense. He wants so badly to pick at his nails, but he’s holding the laptop securely out of reach. 

“It’s pretty disappointing trying to look it up, and mostly offensive.” Jongin’s voice tapers down, so terribly apologetic, and he winces as he watches the very tangible feelings expressed on Sehun’s face as he takes in the explanation. Jongin was right about knowing how upset Sehun could get, because just telling Sehun that people still haven’t progressed very far when it comes to hybrids makes the odd-eyed boy flush with agitation and annoyance. 

“That’s why you said you don’t “really” know about heats,” Sehun states with mild suspicion thrown Jongin’s way. 

“I wanted to know about you. Maybe surprise you, but instead I got...all of “That”. I’m sorry.” Jongin looks like a kicked dog because Sehun’s tentative accusation hurts but Jongin understands why he’d be wary when he had given him a vague answer before.

“Then...how do we do this?” Sehun’s voice is even, and Jongin doesn’t know what to respond with.

“Usually, things are easier done with online searches but, obviously, this is a case where it’s better safe than to be sorry. But, if you still feel this is the best way, then I won’t stop you either. I can only try to help.” 

“I--,” Sehun starts, floundering for words. Jongin waits to see what Sehun will want to do. If he still feels like he needs to at least give online research a try, Jongin will relent. He’s already cautioned Sehun, and he’s not a child to be coddled. Jongin pampers and baby’s him, who doesn’t, but he’s not going to treat Sehun like he can’t make decisions of his own free will. So he waits for the hybrid to give that particular path ample consideration.

Then, Sehun get’s an “ah!” moment, turning to face Jongin with his full attention. 

“The clinic,” he simply says, and Jongin must have confusion written on his face because Sehun clarifies almost immediately.

“At a hybrid clinic, they might have information? I know there were classes like that at the second shelter I was in, but it was only for those who would go through a heat so they could be prescribed suppressants for it. And I was never there long enough anyway since I was--,” Sehun clears his throat at the memories, a slight flush of shame and surfacing resentment crawling on his skin, “Since I was in and out, mostly.” 

Jongin ‘oh’s’ quietly, at both the option and Sehun’s still elusive past. He doesn’t talk much about it, but Jongin never minded. They’re living in the here and now. Sehun will divulge when he wants to. 

“Then we’ll find a clinic in the morning,” Jongin agrees but Sehun shakes his head.

“No, I’m going to my clinic.” Sehun stubbornly corrects, and Jongin stares at Sehun with dawning incredulity. Sehun huffs.

“My doctor is back home.” 

“I got what you said but—but that’s over two h-hours...away...,” His voice tapers to mumbling at Sehun’s cold stare. Sehun hasn’t been this annoyed, this many times, with him since he was banned from Jongin’s games for threatening to throw the whole console out of the window (Sehun doesn’t just threaten, he makes promises he follows through with).

“The clinic it is then,” Jongin reiterates with a deep sigh and Sehun’s sharp, narrowed eyes thin into crescents with the beginnings of a smile, pleased with himself. Jongin is too weak, and a sulking, upset boyfriend is the last thing he wants. He ruffles his own hair, relenting, and Sehun giggles at having gotten his way, helping Jongin mess up his hair further with a tangle of both their fingers. 

Jongin glares at him halfheartedly. Despite the stereotype of supposed hybrid reflexes, Sehun is too quickly dragged down on the bed, Jongin’s fingertips dancing furiously against his ribs as a form of revenge, and really, Sehun’s high-pitched laughter and snorting is what Jongin lives for. 

They erupt into suppressed giggles as Kyungsoo’s voice booms through the wall, threatening to throttle them both if they don’t shut up, promising he’ll go through with it this time. Both boys scramble to put their hands up to each other’s mouths to silence their delight at Kyungsoo’s misery. They’ve made it an unintentional habit of waking Kyungsoo up too many times to count with their shenanigans late at night. They calm after what feels like the impossible feat of containing their laughter, but when they do, it feels like they breathe clearly, tension finally reaching a finality in their own little world.

“It’s time for baby to sleep, it’s way past bedtime,” Jongin mock cooed at Sehun, pulling him closer until their limbs tangle under the blankets.

“Yeah, it’s a wonder you even stayed up this long,” Sehun retorts with a nudge of his cheek against Jongin’s jaw, winding his arms around him tighter. He giggles when all Jongin can reprimand him with is a poke of his finger into his side. 

“Don’t start, Jonginnie. Kyungsoo has a censor that alerts him when someone is being mean to me.” 

Jongin settles down quickly at the threat. 

–

To say that Sehun isn’t absolutely mortified of asking Kyungsoo to help set up an an appointment to the clinic the following morning for ‘reasons’, well, that’d be one lie that could break a polygraph test. 

But, Kyungsoo isn’t the type to tease for too long, and at all when he knows Sehun needs him. 

“It’s about time for a check up anyway so I already scheduled ahead of time. You wouldn’t be able to get out of it if you wanted to,” Kyungsoo said with nonchalance, stirring something around in a pot in the early morning, only to go back to chopping vegetables, effectively multitasking. It smells heavenly, and it helps Sehun wake up. The kitchen is warm, and it feels like the times Sehun refused to sleep when he started to trust Kyungsoo. Once he became comfortable with the other, he’d be hard to pull from the shorter, waking up with Kyungsoo, staying up with him during study sessions, not sleeping at all, afraid everything was some cruel dream. 

Sehun hasn’t woken up this early in ages as Kyungsoo has just started cooking breakfast and the sun won’t rise for a while, and even longer in winter. He keeps quiet, just watching skilled hands move with practiced ease. The sounds of the knife hitting the cutting board, the steam rising and surrounding them, it all causes a nostalgic lurch in his chest. 

“Thank you, Soo,” Sehun murmurs, and it causes Kyungsoo’s knife to pause where it’s hit the wood of the board. It’s only for a few seconds, and then the knife starts up it’s steady rhythm again. 

“You’ve been saying thank you a lot, lately. Having a boyfriend has made you softer and it makes me nervous,” Kyungsoo jokes in a flat tone and a glare with no bite, but Sehun smiles warmly, giggles at the obvious fluster of his friend. 

“Enjoy it while it lasts, Soo, it can’t always be sunshine and rainbows.” 

“By the way, I already called mom and dad.” Sehun’s brow quirks and his tail flicks once in interest. 

“Since we weren’t going back this break, I didn’t think to make plans before, but since we’re going as soon as possible, we’ll be going back early this Thursday.” 

“Okay?” Sehun feels strange, like he’s finally sobering up. 

“I’m pretty sure Jongin will be up to going back then, too, but he’ll have to stay with his own parents. You do understand that, right?” Jongin is still dead to the world, asleep in bed after Sehun had woken to the clinking of pots and pans. Sehun takes a second to absorb Kyungsoo’s words. 

“I...guess,” Sehun finalizes with a strange buzz in his fingertips. It finally clicks, the fact that Sehun will probably not wake up next to Jongin for a few days, maybe even go a day or so without him. It’s obvious, then, that one would want to be home, so going with Sehun to the Do’s doesn’t make much sense. 

Jongin has an actual home, always had one, in fact. Sehun himself misses Soo’s parents, misses being coddled by them, misses the vendors he would visit, the coo of the older ladies around the shops, misses knowing where he is and where he is going. He misses home just like Kyungsoo does, but with Jongin beside him, the apartment never felt more than a hair’s breath away from becoming one. 

Since he’s never even stepped foot outside of the apartment, being with Jongin in their living space the moment he’s home, the moment he’s on holiday or taking a day, Sehun was glued at his hip immediately—it was a given. Each day started and came to an end with Jongin and Sehun has never missed home like he’s already starting to miss Jongin. 

It’s not logical--they come from the same town, probably knew the same streets, the same stores, the same people, but everything about it has coils tightening inside of him nevertheless. Sehun presses his hand against the worrying cramping beginning to manifest in his lower gut. He takes a few steps away from the noise of the kitchen, meeting Kyungsoo’s side glance briefly before fully turning around and padding slowly towards Jongin’s room in a daze.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh


	17. It's like you're writing a run-on sentence and you know it's a run-on but you can't stop writing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Wait, who put you in charge of wedding planning?”
> 
> “Uh, me? I did.”

The moment Sehun is sliding back into bed, Jongin already has an arm draped around Sehun’s waist, squishing his cheek against silky hair and nuzzling like he’s the cat hybrid. There’s a little bit of shifting about, but Jongin quickly falls back to sleep completely, breathing soft and slow. Sehun indulges himself for a moment, closing his own eyes and breathing in Jongin’s scent.

 

It’s frightening, Sehun knows, how his insecurities keep him on edge no matter how much he’s reassured that he’s loved, but life before Kyungsoo—before Jongin—left Sehun vulnerable and feeling unworthy. He thought he was behind all of it, but memories resurface and the monsters plague him now that he has a life that’s bordering on just about perfect. Jongin is like a dream and Sehun’s rationale fights him.

 

He’ll wake up any second to cold tiles and shared rooms much too small for his ever growing body. He swallows the bile at the memories of too many hands, too many blames and curses for a boy too young to know what he’s accused of, too tight collars and concrete under bare feet, cold enough to burn his soles but not cold enough to make him turn back into the arms of strangers. He rubs his socked feet together, before settling on slotting his legs with Jongin’s and pushing his soles against the back of his boyfriend’s calves. Sehun can feel the warmth of the other through the thick material of the socks.

 

Sehun moves away when Jongin starts fussing about at the movement. He manages to move enough to look at Jongin’s closed, puffy lids flutter slightly, brow furrowing-- even more displeased at the younger dislodging himself from the other. Sehun rests his palm on Jongin’s cheek and it’s surreal how solid the structure is underneath his hand. As if on instinct, Jongin is moving his head to the side to kiss at the open palm, the cold fingertips chasing him awake. A fondness seeps into Sehun’s chest, helping him breathe in as Jongin tries opening his heavy eyes.

 

Jongin smiles sleepily, but his expression starts morphing into that of confusion at the state he sees Sehun in. Sehun looks somber, and there are shadows under his eyes obscuring the small freckles denoting of time basking in the sun. Before Jongin could frown deeper, Sehun is tilting his own head up and away from Jongin’s inquisitive gaze, kissing the top of his head, suppressing giggles as he’s tickled by wild bed hair. He pushes Jongin’s face into his chest, holding him there tightly until Jongin is pressing his open palm into the small of the cat’s back to hold them flush together.

 

The half asleep boy doesn’t say anything and Sehun is grateful, expressing so wordlessly with rubbing his cheek against Jongin’s already messy hair. Jongin starts to rub circles on the hybrid’s back just to focus on a task so he can pull himself from the grogginess still clouding his head.

 

Sehun knows Jongin is more awake when he feels him start to burrow his nose into the stretch of the feline’s neck. There’s the brush of lips against Sehun’s pulse, kisses following the line of his neck and fingers reaching towards Sehun’s shoulder to push the sweater down enough to keep savoring.

 

Sehun hadn’t realized the small tension in his muscles until he starts going lax in Jongin’s hold, each kiss soothing and reverent of the skin tucked away. Jongin can barely make out the sound of purring deep in Sehun’s throat, but the vibration of it buzzes ticklishly against his lips and Jongin can’t help smiling into Sehun’s shoulder. He lets out a content groan of his own- almost mirroring Sehun’s purrs- when thin, cool fingers start massaging his scalp in appreciation.

 

Soon enough, just relishing Sehun’s skin isn’t enough and Jongin is prompting Sehun to scoot lower, communicating his need for more kissing. Jongin loses himself to the glide of their lips, the intrusion of tongues, the restlessness of their wandering hands.

 

At some point, Jongin is rolling onto his back and Sehun follows the movement until he’s practically straddling Jongin. Sehun jerks away with a gasp, hiding his face in Jongin’s collar the moment the warmth in his gut starts to scorch painfully, and he’s suddenly afraid that he’ll leak over the boy under him with the way his thighs are tensing and digging into Jongin, who doesn’t seem to notice.

 

“Jongin--,” Sehun says with heavy breaths, taking Jongin’s hands off of where they had crept under his sweater. Jongin’s daze clears and he inhales indulgent gulps of air.

 

“I got carried away,” Jongin admits, voice still somewhat rough and raspy, but apologetic all the same.

 

“Me too.” Sehun cups Jongin’s face with his still cold fingers, but they’re pleasant on the heated skin of the older’s cheeks before Sehun teases, “Which is kinda awful since I’m now tasting your terrible morning breath.”

 

Jongin gasps in offense and Sehun almost kicks the other when Jongin resorts to tickling Sehun for his teasing. Sehun once again takes Jongin’s hands in his to stop him from digging his fingers under his ribs. It’s something he should nip in the bud before it becomes habit.

 

“You can’t just attack me when you don’t have anything smart to say.” Sehun’s eye smile is gorgeous and his bright grin makes Jongin bring one of the hybrid’s hands to his lips to plant a kiss on the pretty skin.

 

“Bold of you to assume I've ever said anything smart in my life,” Jongin jokes and Sehun giggles at the self-jab. Sehun settles down on top of Jongin once the quiet sings pleasantly, the far-away noise of pots and pans the only occasional noise warning them away from slumber. Jongin likes the weight above him, curls his arms around Sehun and the cat once again is content enough to purr soothingly into Jongin’s chest.

 

Sehun realizes he has to talk about what he discussed with Kyungsoo, and he feels a small weight in his chest filling up. There isn’t any hesitation when he brings it up, however.

 

“I talked to Soo,” Sehun says as he folds his arms on Jongin so he can rest his chin on them, looking each other in the eye comfortably. Jongin blinks slowly, humming for Sehun to continue.

 

“We’re going back Thursday,” and there’s a twinge of insecurity in the way Sehun’s cat ears twitch just slightly. Jongin looks mildly surprised, and honestly, he is. It all still seems unreal, the situation he’s ended up in life, not that he’s really complaining, though.

 

“This Thursday?” Jongin repeats. He doesn’t know why he is, since he and Sehun had agreed to go back as soon as possible. But Jongin assumed he’d be a little more prepared.

 

“Is it okay,” Sehun asks, a bit imploring. He’s sitting up, then, but Jongin brings his hands up to catch Sehun’s wrists in his gentle, firm grip.

 

“Of course it is.” Sehun looks at Jongin and finds no signs of reluctance.

 

“So,” Sehun starts, his hands now resting in Jongin’s against the steady rise and fall of the older’s chest, “uhm, are you going to stay with your family?” Jongin stills. His family – he hasn’t even called his mom about all of this. Obviously, he just made plans last night and he’s always exchanged numerous phone calls with them, but for some reason it feels like he’s withheld something big from her.

 

“I suppose.” Jongin sees and feels Sehun deflate quickly before his eyes.

 

“Will you still go to the clinic with me?” Jongin finds himself confused at the question.

 

“Yeah? Why wouldn’t I?” Sehun chews on his bottom lip for a moment before he shakes his head.

 

“...I guess I was a bit worried. That you’d want to stay with them now that you have the chance,” Sehun confesses and Jongin softens. At least Sehun is opening up more and Jongin is relieved the hybrid isn’t keeping his insecurities to himself.

 

“I promised, so of course I’m going with you. Honestly, I was thinking that, if it’s possible, I’d love it if we actually took the opportunity to go on a date.” Sehun’s eyes light up and Jongin can feel himself start to vibrate with excitement. “And you definitely have to meet my mom,” he adds on and Sehun seems to perk up entirely.

 

“You want me to meet your…your mother?” Sehun looks curious and expectant, and Jongin wants to pinch Sehun’s cheeks.

 

“Oh, actually, I should be worried about that,” Jongin smiles wide as if he’s just told himself an inside joke, but Sehun’s cat ears swivel with worry.

 

“Why? She won’t like me?” Jongin only chuckles. He dissuades the wide-eyed worry from his boyfriend with a carding of his fingers through Sehun’s hair.

 

“More like, she’d throw me to the side like yesterday’s trash,” and at that, Jongin almost groans to himself in prepared defeat.

 

“When I call her I never shut up about you and I guess I hyped you up, like, a lot, and who wouldn’t honestly, but now I’m kind of afraid she’ll just try and adopt you and I’ll end up third-wheeling in my own home.” Jongin finishes whining with a pout. Sehun blushes, embarrassed at the revelation that Jongin actually has talked _about_ _him_ , but he still kisses Jongin when he pushes out his lips like a child before ducking away and burying his face in Jongin’s shoulder.

 

“Shut up,” Sehun mumbles, lips twitching from trying to stop a bashful grin from forming on his face.

 

“No, I love talking about my boyfriend,” Jongin says cutely as he rains noisy smooches onto Sehun’s head, much to the protest of the other. “He’s lovely and amazing and sassy and beautiful, and it’s ridiculous how much I love him.” Sehun weakly pounds Jongin’s chest as he continues to boast about him _to_ him and it makes Sehun whine. The hybrid tries to stop Jongin as he continues his cheesy compliments and declarations by shoving his hands over Jongin’s face, but Jongin only continues, though his praises are mostly muffled.

 

It takes them a while before they’re getting up and even then, Jongin sticks to the hybrid’s back, waddling awkwardly behind him. Sehun hits Jongin’s arms wrapped around him so that he’d at least brush his teeth and wash up, and Jongin gives in—eventually. However, he doesn’t go without whining loudly enough to be heard by both Sehun and Kyungsoo as they settle down for breakfast.

 

“So what’s Jongin going to do,” Kyungsoo asks despite the loud, garbled whining indicating Jongin is complaining with, probably, his toothbrush in his mouth. Sehun can’t stop the grin from spreading on his face before he confides quietly.

 

“He’s going with me to the clinic,” Sehun tells Kyungsoo through his fingers and the other looks a little disappointed. “But also he wants to, like…take me to meet his mom? At some point?” Sehun blushes an impossible shade of red and Kyungsoo almost drops his fork from his grip.

 

“Oh my god,” Kyungsoo whispers in amusement. Sehun, in his rekindled embarrassment, tries kicking him under the table but Kyungsoo is far too quick. He hisses in pain as his toe hits the leg of Kyungsoo’s chair instead.

 

“You guys haven’t been together long and he already wants you to meet his mom? What’s next? Having me plan your wedding for next month?” Kyungsoo visibly shudders and Sehun is groaning into his hands. He suddenly unburies his face to glare at his friend.

 

“Wait, who put _you_ in charge of wedding planning?”

 

“Uh, me? I did,” Kyungsoo says while rolling his eyes like he’s about to say “duh, of course it has to be me”.

 

“I’m sending your invite to the south pole,” Sehun threatens, though all Kyungsoo does is raise an eyebrow.

 

“We live together. If anything, I’ll know everything before either of you do.” Kyungsoo takes a sip of his coffee.

 

As Sehun is about to retort, he feels a sudden warmth run down his spine as a hand finds it’s way just behind his cat ears, stroking down into the shorter hair at the nape of his neck. Kyungsoo doesn’t even try to hide his shit-eating grin when Sehun is fully disarmed by Jongin. And as usual, Jongin is oblivious about their topic of conversation.

 

“Heard you’re taking Sehun to his appointment,” Kyungsoo says without beating around the bush while taking another sip from his mug. Jongin looks a little shy, but nods. Sehun has to bite the inside of his cheek to stop from crying.

 

“Soo,” Sehun whines but Kyungsoo shrugs.

 

“Just so you know, Sehun will kick if he sees needles, so protect your vulnerable spots. He has deadly aim.” Kyungsoo eyes look at a spot on the table, but it’s clear he’s looking right through it and directly into Jongin’s lap with an explicit warning. He gets the reaction he wants, as Sehun looks stunned and Jongin crosses his legs not too subtly with a slight pallor to his skin. “Though, it’s just a checkup. It’ll be okay,” Kyungsoo adds, definitely looking satisfied.

 

Sehun debates whether he should stop himself from eating breakfast just to spite Kyungsoo, but then his mind whirs with the stirrings of retaliation. He figures he shouldn’t deprive himself when he can strike back quickly.

 

“Jongin, can you lend me your phone?” It’s overkill for Sehun to make his eyes big and shiny for Jongin as the sound of a whiplash echoes like a soundtrack to his life when he’s around the other. Jongin clears his throat a little, though, as he’s caught off guard.

 

“Oh, uh, did you...change your mind about…,” Jongin trails off but Sehun shakes his head.

 

“Please? Can I?” And Kyungsoo would have actually gagged if he didn’t have a perfect forkful of food in his mouth. Jongin nods as he clamors for his phone somewhere in his sweat’s pockets, handing it over to his boyfriend easily.

 

“Oh, fuck off,” Kyungsoo mutters as Sehun smiles prettily at a giddy Jongin. Kyungsoo is perfectly distracted as Sehun searches Jongin’s contacts, shooting off a quick text before the phone dings noisily.

 

Kyungsoo is too smart for his own good, eyeing Sehun suspiciously but the hybrid ignores the questioning look. Even Jongin is a bit curious as his phone continues to ding frantically. Sehun is a really fast texter, with the way his thumbs move about the phone’s screen with constant tapping. It’s dumb, but Jongin wishes Sehun would text him that much, that quickly, even though Sehun has expressed not wanting to disrupt him too much when out. Walls of emojis every once in a few hours is fine, he supposes.

 

After what seems like a good few minutes, Sehun is handing the phone back to Jongin and digging into his food. He shoots Jongin another thankful smile, though, and Jongin forgets all about his phone.

 

The couple doesn’t flinch when Kyungsoo’s phone suddenly goes off; they’re already lost in their own little world. There’s a dread suddenly weighing in Kyungsoo’s stomach as he makes to get up to grab his own cell off the counter. It’s Chanyeol, and he’s glad honestly. If only so he can get away from Sehun and Jongin’s gross coupley breakfast feeding.

 

Despite the reprieve, the feeling in his stomach doesn’t seem to lighten.

 

“Chanyeol? Good morning,” Kyungsoo greets softly.

 

“ _Kyungsoo! Sehun said you’re all going back to your hometown this Thursday!_ ” Chanyeol is practically shouting in his ear and, no matter how pleasant his voice is, the dread keeps spreading. He looks back at the table and Sehun is looking directly at him with a tiny smirk. Kyungsoo can feel himself sweat.

 

_Oh, fuck off._

 

“Yeah, sort of last minute.” Kyungsoo barely manages to keep his voice even.

 

“ _That’s okay! I don’t mind_ ,” Chanyeol chirps and Kyungsoo will definitely strangle Sehun. Even if he knows he deserves the sudden right hook.

 

“You...don’t,” Kyungsoo states rather flatly and he can almost make out Chanyeol’s head shaking enthusiastically from the sudden shuffling on the other end.

 

“ _Sehun said you wanted me to go but maybe I’d say no since it’s_ _short notice_ _. But I told him I_ _wold definitely come along_ _,_ _so you don’t have to worry!_ ” Kyungsoo can feel himself soften up a little, but he also feels his own face flush hot with nerves.

 

“You don’t have to--,” Kyungsoo says with a sudden waver in his tone but Chanyeol is...well, louder than he is.

 

“ _It’ll be great, Soo! I really can’t wait!_ ” At the use of the shortened name, Kyungsoo’s heart beats a little faster. Sehun uses it all the time, but each time Chanyeol says it, it feels...different. It’s always difficult to stop himself from choking out his feelings right then and there. There’s a short pause, as if Chanyeol is thinking over his thoughts, for once, and Kyungsoo’s limbs are filling warmly.

 

“ _You know, I wouldn’t be able to say no if you asked_ ,” And those words are said in a softer, deeper tone that has Kyungsoo wishing for summer, somehow.

 

“Would you like to come with us,” Kyungsoo whispers into the phone, ignoring the way Sehun is leaning over the table curiously while Jongin tries to get him to mind himself, though it’s mostly a feeble attempt.

 

The sound of Chanyeol’s warm chuckle against his ear has Kyungsoo’s skin tingling, electricity rushing to his limbs.

 

“ _I’d love to._ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Chapter 16 is also a new ch, so don't forget to read it......)
> 
> Hey yall its been a whole ass year and three days since i started this fic and honestly i fuckin rly thought i woulda finished it in like 4 chapters...i was........................optimistic.............its going to be 2019..................oh fu cc
> 
> why have i included so many fucking morning scenes.............like.........idk how to not write a fucking breakfast scene ifve written like ten of them so far why am i so boring im sorry i wish this story could be more interesting this is really different from how i imagined it when i first started it lmao
> 
> but hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a little bit of chansoo to end this two parter to make up for my absence lmao 
> 
> i wanted to include like........an actual other one shot on sehuns previous experiences and a seperate fic of chansoo's progresssion but i think i should hold off on those
> 
> i hope i can finish this soon i already have most of my next fic done, itll b over 10k but i wanna keep it as a one shot and then theres another chaptered fic that i dont wanna post yet because i havent finished this one or the next chapter for sugary sweet
> 
> winter break............thank you but also i signed up for winter classes again so pray for me
> 
> im thankful though if youve stayed along with me for a whole year!!!!!!!!!!!! or have just started this fic and ended up reading it all even if its still ongoing!!!!!!!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> a cat boy fic that's stretching on for so long its hangin on by a thread lmao O(-(
> 
> lets pray this actually gets an ending


End file.
